Retail Theft -- A delayed retail theft at Woodman’s was reported to police. Reports say a female subject removed $182.81 of merchandise past the last point of payment on 3/28/2025. An investigation was conducted, and the offender was identified and given a trespass warning and an adjudication citation for retail theft. In a second incident at Woodman’s, police report that a female allegedly took $51.47 of merchandise past the last point of payment. An investigation was conducted, the offender was identified and given a trespass warning and an adjudication citation for retail theft.
Burglary – Police report that Unknown offenders broke the glass of a side door, gained entry to Dengeos, 195 W. Dundee Rd. and stole cash. Police say this investigation is ongoing.
Retail Theft – Police report that two subjects used a fraudulent credit/debit card to obtain $1,520.24 in currency from the cashier. This investigation is ongoing.
Criminal Damage to Property – Police report that a Postal Service mailbox was vandalized with white graffiti in the 1001 Johnson Dr. Police report a second incident, also in the 1000 block of Johnson Drive where a green utility box was vandalized with graffiti.
Bad pairing – Police report that juveniles reportedly took three granola bars from Woodman’s. And in case they got thirsty, they also too a bottle of vodka. Not a good idea -- they were adjudicated and turned over to legal guardians.
In Other Community News
New day, time for BG Days parade
The Buffalo Grove Days parade will have a new time and day – but same route when it kicks off during the 2025 Buffalo Grove Days festivities.
The parade will be on Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. In previous years, it has been a Sunday even with a noon starting time.
“We are moving the parade to 11:30 a.m. to better align with the start of other activities,” Molly Gillespie told Buffalo Grove Report in an email. Gillespie, the village director of Communications and Civic Engagement, is the village coordinator for Buffalo Grove Days. It is a joint venture with the Park District.
Gillespie added that “based on last year’s participation, the length of time for the end units to get to the dispersion area was about 90 minutes. Activities start on the festival grounds at 1 p.m., so aligning the parade to end then is ideal for all parties.”
Staffing and getting some parade participants were factors for moving the parade to Saturday. “We had other considerations come into play for this decision. One of our largest parade units, the Buffalo Grove High School Band, provided feedback, and the most important piece being that moving the parade to Friday or Saturday would be better for their students to be able to participate as they still like to have a two-day weekend for the holiday.’
Gillespie noted that village staff is “stretched thin” over the Labor Day weekend and that Sunday and Monday “have been consistently the most difficult days to get extra staff to work overtime.” The departments that are impacted the most are the Police, Fire and Public Works Department.
The Police Department, Gillespie noted, “has more success getting additional Lake County Auxiliary Officers on Saturday vs. Sunday, which helps reduce police staffing costs tremendously.”
Penalties for THC sales get tougher
The Village Board April 21 tightened the noose on tobacco stores that sell THC products by stiffening penalties for offenders.
Currently, only one dispensary, Sunnyside, 830 Milwaukee Avenue is authorized to sell “adult-use cannabis. Sunnyside does not engage in the sale of Delta-8 containing products.
According to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta-8 THC, is a psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant, of which marijuana and hemp are two varieties.
Delta-8 THC is one of over 100 cannabinoids produced naturally by the cannabis plant but is not found in significant amounts in the cannabis plant. As a result, concentrated amounts of delta-8 THC are typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).
Under the revisions, fines increase from $150 to $500 and $750 per occurrence. Changes also provide for offending businesses to have tobacco sales licenses revoked for up to 24 months, up from the previous six-month revocation.
Deputy Chief retiring after 29 years of service
Deputy Police Chief Michael Rodriguez is retiring from the Buffalo Grove Police Department on May 2, 2025, after nearly 29 years of distinguished service.
Rodriguez began his career in Buffalo Grove in 1996 as a patrol officer and went on to serve in a variety of roles, including more than nine years as a criminal investigator, two years as an undercover narcotics agent assigned to a State Police Task Force, and as Corporal in the patrol division. His leadership path continued as he rose through the ranks to Sergeant in 2011, Lieutenant in 2016, and most recently Deputy Chief of Operations in 2022.
A complete look at Rodriguez’s career with the BGPD can be found here.
New signs of the times?
The Village Board Monday approved $129,000 for engineering consulting for new gateway signage at locations around the village.
The new signs will likely incorporate the village’s new Green and White Buffalo and the “Smart. With Heart” slogan adopted by the village in 2024.
The complete story can be found here.
Village to assume grocery tax
In what some Village Board members call a “shell game,” the village will begin collecting a grocery tax.
But it’s not a new tax. The grocery tax has been collected by the state and then given to local municipalities. That procedure is ending which gives municipalities two choices, collect the tax themselves, or lose the money. In the case of Buffalo Grove, Finance Director Chris Black not collecting a grocery tax would result in approximately $1.4 million in lost revenue.
Residents will not see a change in the cost of groceries.
“The state is playing a shell game when it comes to local municipal funding, Trustee Joanne Johnson said. “Residents won’t see a change. It doesn’t raise taxes; it preserves the status quo and protects our financial stability.”
Additional details from the Daily Herald can be found here.
Community surveys mailed
Surveys have been mailed to randomly selected households, as part of the village’s effort to get feedback and gauge satisfaction with municipal services, and to helping village officials understand the priorities of the community.
The village typically does this every three to four years. The survey will open in early May. Additional information is at this link.
BGFD seeks feedback
Residents are asked to submit feedback about The Buffalo Grove Fire Department (BGFD) as part of the updating of its 5-year Strategic Plan.
Community members are invited to share their input on BGFD services at a public meeting from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29 at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, 85 S Buffalo Grove Road.
This meeting is open to the public interested in sharing their feedback or learning more about the strategic planning process. Lunch will be served.
If you are interested in participating, please RSVP to BGFD Management Analyst Caitlin Wagner at cmwagener@vbg.org by this Thursday, April 24.
‘Annie Kids’ performances
start this weekend
Big Deal Productions presenting Annie Kids for its 2025 Children’s Musical Theater production.
Performances are at 7 p.m. on April 25 and May 2 and at 3 p.m. on April 26, 27, and May 3. All performances are at the Community Arts Center, 225 N. McHenry Rd. Tickets are available for purchase at this link. All tickets are $15. For more information, contact Lindsay Grandt at 847-850-2132.
Park District lists summer program info.
Residents are expected to receive the Park District’s summer 2025 program guide by mail this week. It is also available at bgparks.org and at the Alcott Center.
In district registration begins Tuesday, April 29 and can be done in-person, online, by mail, by fax, or via the drop box located outside the Alcott Center. For more information, visit bgparks.org or call 847-850-2100.
‘Happy Hour Golf’ Friday
The Parks Foundation's annual Happy Hour Golf fundraiser is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 25 at the Golf Dome, 801 McHenry Rd. Participants can register in advance as a foursome, or be paired individually. All proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s fee assistance program so that active military families and families in need can participate in Park District programs. The event includes a Golf contest with prizes Raffle prizes Light appetizers Beer and wine (available for purchase).
Participants can bring their own golf clubs, or use clubs that will be available. For more information, contact Mike Pfeiffer at 847-850-2108.
For additional information, contact Chamber Executive Director Marino Cecchi, at info@bglcc.org or by phone at 847-541-7799.
So you know
The regularly scheduled Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 23 has been cancelled. You’ve been warned.
Business Briefs
Chamber seeks committee members
The Buffalo Grove Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce needs members for its four new committees: Governance, Finance, Programming, and Membership.
Committee meetings will start in May and are expected to be held monthly with progress reports provided to the Board of Directors.
The responsibilities of each committee is posted at this link.
Applications, available at this link, are due by 7 p.m. on May 2.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors expects to complete committee member selection by May 16th. Applicants must be a member in good standing.
Need a Reason to Celebrate?
April 23
International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day
National Cherry Cheesecake Day
April 24
National Pigs in a Blanket Day
April 25
National Hairball Awareness Day
April 26
April 27
National Little Pampered Dog Day
April 28
April 29
April 30
The usual stuff…
· Got News?-- If you have news about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization, please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.Articles should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are also welcome. They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling, and libelous content.
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· If you didn’t know -- The Buffalo Grove Report (Buffalo Grove News and Info), is locally and independently produced by Buffalo Grove resident Stan Zoller. A longtime journalist and journalism educator, Zoller covers Buffalo Grove and monitors news and information about the village, its schools, park district and community events. The Buffalo Grove Report is not affiliated with any municipal body. Zoller is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Chicago Headline Club.
