FarmWeek: Loretta Hall said one word came to mind as she and husband, John, watched the semi loaded with 21 bales of hay approach their cattle ranch in northwest Texas.“Hallelujah!”

The spring session of the Illinois General Assembly is now history. At the beginning of the session, there was renewed hope that critical aspects of Illinois government might change. After all, for the first time in decades, the House had a new speaker.

We employ police officers to make tough, sometimes violent, decisions on the street. It’s an important job that can determine whether someone lives or dies. We know from the deaths of George Floyd and others that sometimes officers use lethal force inappropriately.

The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority has been a thorn in taxpayers’ side since its late-1980s creation paved the way for junking the original Comiskey Park, and it’s also responsible for the early 2000s Soldier Field renovation that cost nearly $400 million. There’s no way elected officials could stay out of yet another mega-development, which tends to mean using public money to offset the expenses of private companies who will make profits once games are played.

I realized a few months ago that I’ve waited too long to pass the “tongs” off, so this holiday weekend was important. It represented a “changing of the guard” for our holiday tradition.

The redrawn Illinois Supreme Court map strongly suggests the new Democratic regime in the state capitol may be worse than the old one

Scott Reeder takes a look at well-intentioned but faulty legislation pending before the state Senate that would bankrupt pet stores and hurt dog breeders across Illinois.

Illinois lawmakers are considering placing a warning label on video games that have the "loot box" feature. The bill's sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez says it's a predatory practice preying on children. Scott Reeder relates his family's experience with the technology.

Gov. JB Pritzker has backed off a pledge to veto any redistricting bill not coming from an independent commission. Scott Reeder takes a look at why.

The world is constantly changing around us, and we can choose to be lost within it or to keep up.

Scott Reeder looks at a student loan forgiveness program that helps households with six-digit incomes that want to buy $500,000 homes.

Illinois governor candidate Gary Rabine writes that taxpayers in Illinois have lost confidence in state leaders. They did not believe the progressive income tax would only impact the rich. They have been sold a bill of goods too many times and they saw through the progressive income tax.

State Rep. Tim Butler’s bill deserved at least a floor vote, and there’s no real reason it didn’t. House rules allowed it to languish. There must be a better system, but Democrats seem content with the one they have.

The Exelon plants are fantastic financial engines, factoring the number and quality of direct and indirect jobs, property taxes and ripples through the retail and housing markets. But for many years now that economic upside has come with a consistent fear the company could pull the plug unless its demands are met.

My new life philosophy can be summed up by the following simple statement of truth: “It’s not where you are that’s important, but who you are with.”