Chris Christie makes appearance at Barrington 'town-warming' event

Barrington's Cultural Commission re-created a 1940s-era Barrington "town-warming" tradition Saturday at the village's White House, featuring a speaker series keynoted by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The occasion, dubbed "Vision 2020 Part II: Media, Politics, and the Arts in the New Decade," was sponsored by Greg Brown, the chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions and Northern Trust. It hosted 180 people, according to a news release from the village.

The event featured a panel discussion on media in the modern era, moderated by Corey McPherrin, an anchor for Fox-owned WFLD. Panelists included Daily Herald Editor and Senior Vice President John Lampinen, WFLD political editor Mike Flannery and Derrick Blakley, formerly an anchor for CBS-owned WBBM and NBC-owned WMAQ. The panelists discussed "fairness, truth and accurate reporting in the hyperpartisan environment of an election year," according to the release.

Another panel focused on the importance of arts in an "increasingly polarized and always-on culture," according to the release, and later in the day WGN radio personality John Williams interviewed "Teddy Roosevelt," aka humanities scholar and character actor Clay Jenkinson. They discussed the state of politics today through the lens of early 1900s politics, the release said.

Later, Brown and Christie had a "fireside chat" where Christie talked about his governorship and his relationship with President Donald Trump.

Village President Karen Darch said she was glad the community was glad to bring the 1930s and 1940s tradition back for the third year in a row.

"I am so thrilled that we have been able to bring this tradition back in the modern day in order to provide our community with an opportunity to gather in the spirit of broadening our perspectives and learning something new each year," Darch said.