Government historians can explain how Illinois ended up with this timetable, but those recollections often explain only why it exists – not whether it’s the best approach.

Lower prices for prescription meds are positive, right? Sure, except in this instance, the purpose of the discount is so that those facilities can profit when selling the medication to patients.

Halfway through May is a fine time to revisit some of the legislation covered earlier in the session, among more than 11,800 bills and resolutions filed since the current General Assembly started in January 2025.

We also hope to sow seeds for those who can someday take our places, wherever they land, continuing the cycle of finding a little corner of life in which to make a difference.

We hope the stories in this special edition serve as a reminder that heroism doesn’t have to be extraordinary to matter.

New legislation aims to provide up to five years of Social Security credits to caregivers who leave the work force to care for their loved ones.

Even if the math isn’t perfect, it helps to understand promises and projections versus the likely reality.

Remember: the Bears have a stadium. No one forced the team to spend almost $300 million to buy an old horse track without any concrete development plans.

To be fair, Frank Mautino isn’t the only person to benefit from these structures, just a convenient, timely proxy.