Those experienced with returning ballots are likely familiar with their county’s drop boxes, handing a sealed ballot to someone at the election official’s office and tracking their ballots online or through phone calls.

Lovina reflects on a quiet January day filled with faith, household work, family visits, shared meals, and gratitude for the simple blessings that shape daily life at the Eichers’ home.

At the risk of being labeled naïve and unrealistic, I am exploring in this week’s column a reality I have experienced myself on many occasions.

As noted in October following oral arguments, the opinion in Bost’s favor says nothing about the merits of his case but effectively sends us back three years and enables a federal judge to rule on the underlying constitutional question.

Studs Terkel’s candid reflections capture a universal longing for dignity, pride and the need for every working person to leave something tangible behind.

March 17 marks the 2026 primary, where La Salle, Bureau and Putnam county voters can pull a Democratic or Republican ballot to pick who appears on the ballot come November. All voters, partisan or not, can weigh in on referendum questions.

A judicial branch is separate from the executive and legislative but also equal: our judges and justices are, at least in some portions of their careers, politicians. They have to finance campaigns and occasionally face voters.

One thing that stuck out from the entire process was JCAR members strongly preferring IDOC had taken a more conventional approach to addressing a situation they hadn’t adequately shown to be a crisis.

There are already too many high school graduation requirements; not all districts can sufficiently hire staff to offer the courses. Integrating languages into elementary schools would be more logical from an educational and curriculum density standpoint.