All these years later, I recall the lack of pretension or appearance of celebrity. That was just the work of Jesse Jackson’s life, the same as it was in Peru in 2021 or in Decatur in 1999.

Unsurprisingly, given his political leanings, Pritzker spoke to the importance of investing in state efforts as a means of mitigating long-term expenses. He also called for ensuring "we are focused on truly managing and measuring the real results of state programs."

Jim Wise: In the Sauk Valley, there are people everywhere who provide the services that keep our homes heated, water flowing, internet working, and our daily lives running smoothly. However, some overlook these valued service providers.

DeWalt: Just like a partner who is loving and supportive can be better for your mental health, eating fresh whole foods, without added sugar, salt, and saturated fat, can be better for your physical health.

A plan to give the state Department of Insurance new influence over rate increases passed the Senate in the fall veto session before falling four votes short in the House. But the proposal can resurface during the spring session.

Forty Democratic members of the Illinois House and Senate have been meeting weekly to come up with a plan to find some government efficiencies and create new revenue streams to help the state meet its obligations.

The proposal resulted from "several issues" Joint Committee on Administrative Rules members discussed during their meetings.

"The report points out there are numerous ways well operators can avoid that responsibility, and it suggests IDNR has frequently been unable or unwilling to take strong enforcement action."

General election campaigns draw considerably more interest than primaries, but when facing crowded fields of candidates who carefully manage messages and appearances, bank accounts can be revealing.