So while telling others what to do remains more satisfying than getting off my duff and making something happen, I’ll err on the side of practicality.

As 2025 comes to a close, a look back at the year shows one filled with highs, lows and everything in between. It really was the "year that kept on giving," at least for the Olivers.

Turning bills into laws is only one step in a lengthy process. Money is usually required, and simply getting people talking about an issue is no guarantee those conversations will lead to action.

"First and foremost, Illinois must restore a sense of fiscal responsibility," state Sen. Craig Wilcox of McHenry writes of his wish list for 2026.

That we’re still on the improvement path seven years later isn’t the most encouraging, but it does show a commitment to actually addressing problems.

Some districts will seize these new opportunities. But not every Illinois school is equipped to offer such options.

"Dying comes for us all, often accompanied by immense suffering. Sometimes at the end, suffering is so extreme that we’d rather just go to sleep, we’d rather not stick it out to the bitter end," Edward Gogol of Crystal Lake writes in a letter to the editor.

"There is a battery storage facility being proposed on Behan Road. This is less than a mile from our home, and a mile and a half from Prairie Grove Elementary School," Pam Hermsdorfer of Crystal Lake writes in a letter to the editor.

Trying to keep up with all that's happening in the battle against Alzheimer's disease isn't easy when you're a caregiver. The Alzheimer's Association is here to help with five things that were learned about the disease in 2025.