Column

It’s also a local economy issue: SNAP recipients are customers and the retailers who sell them food might not be prepared to lose out on that business. After all, grocery store cash registers don’t care where the money originates.

With summer in full swing, Dr. Emily Richardson, optometrist with OSF HealthCare St. Katharine Medical Center in Dixon, is reminding the community about the importance of proper eye protection.

The final 17 pages are a breakdown of all pension legislation from the recently concluded spring session from COGFA Pension Unit Manager Dan Hankiewicz.

Discover how to cultivate applied faith to achieve your personal and professional goals.

Record stories that captured people's attention in years passed.

Once a brash young political outsider dubbed “The Chosen One” for his rapid rise under Toni Preckwinkle, Christian Mitchell now returns to the spotlight as Gov. Pritzker’s running mate –battle-tested, bridge-building and still fiercely ambitious.

In proposing the fiscal 2026 budget, Pritzker suggested spending $7.6 million less on housing programs. Lawmakers actually cut $14.6 million. The Court-Based Rental Assistance Program, which helps people facing evictions, is down $25 million.

Since colonial days, hardware stores have been a part of daily life in many American towns, and like the rest of society, have changed with the times.

The wedding was nice and worth all the work to get everything set up for it. We couldn’t have done it alone. Many hands make light work.

How much does the marching band spend on new music each fall? Who pays to paint the school logo at midfield? What is the impact of overdue fines on the library budget? When I buy a box of popcorn at the pool, does any of that go toward lifeguard paychecks?

Column: Despite the little bit of rain, and a whole lot of heat, we had a great time celebrating and seeing you all at Swedish Days! Up next is the Geneva Arts Fair and Classic Car Shows, writes Johanna Patterson of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

Just in time for Independence Day, here ere are a few patriotic facts and trivia.

Column: Ask 10 neighbors what sustainability means and seven will picture trees or recycling bins. Few mention paychecks, health or utility bills – yet that is where the benefits show up. Here are four myths that keep DeKalb from cashing in, writes Shaun Langley.

The Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Project for Middle Class Renewal reported that the state currently is short 142,000 housing units but would need to open 227,000 units over the next five years to meet projected demand.

Even if the pace of life keeps accelerating, your path doesn’t have to. Time, like clay, is shaped by the hands that hold it. Don’t let it be molded by algorithms, ads and someone else’s agenda.

I appreciate a quality professional display a few times a year yet have almost zero tolerance for amateur hour, especially when it extends across a whole weekend.

According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, out-of-staters spent more than $1 million per day on recreational marijuana in 2024, accounting for 22.35% of annual sales.

It’s a homecoming of sorts. My very first newspaper job, not counting a paper route for the Tinley Park Star back in the 90s, was as a reporter at the La Salle NewsTribune.

Column: Summer is in full swing, and with it comes sunshine, smiles and plenty of opportunities to make memories right here in DeKalb. One such highlight is the 13th Annual Family Fun Fest on July 16, writes Anna Wilson of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

This week marks the anniversary of Gettysburg, the most famous battle of the Civil War.

Lovina's “English” friend, Ruth, shares news of Verena and Daniel Ray's wedding day.

Congress must act now to make sure the nation’s next Postmaster General is not the last one.

Column: Kishwaukee United Way’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the allocation of $100,000 for fiscal 2026, meant to support basic needs of area residents, writes Michele Vaughn.

He won a second term in 2022 capturing almost 55% of the vote, helping pace a Democratic sweep of statewide offices where the average victory margin was about 520,000.

This also is a story about procedure, because SB 328 is a textbook example for understanding the concepts of “shell bill,” “gut and replace” and the “enrolled bill doctrine.”

In that simple act of observation lies true freedom – and a calmer, more joyful life.

In this weekend’s “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster talks about a milestone birthday for her cat, Beach, as well as a unique volunteer opportunity with a local animal rescue. 

Make better choices and avoid these problems, right? That’s a lot easier to say from outside the courthouse.

More legislators than you may realize have received credible threats of violence or have been stalked. Most refuse to talk about it for the record, but those shootings showed what could’ve happened to them and what still may happen in the future.

Blood sugar spikes can influence your health even if you do not have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

The Trump administration has announced plans to discontinue minting new pennies, citing the cost of producing the 1-cent coins in relation to their value and importance in the U.S. currency system. 

Your local library card can get you access to all kinds of eBooks, movies and more in the digiverse.

I wanted to get to know Verena and Daniel Ray better as a couple, and thought maybe you did also, so today I visited with them for a bit and asked them some questions.

The issues here are specifically related to abortion and immigration, but privacy advocates could provide a detailed list of reasons anyone who drives in Illinois should be concerned about what the government knows and how well that information is protected.

Parks are ideal venues for physical activity, encouraging individuals to engage in regular exercise. Ultimately, parks serve as vital resources that support both mental and physical health, fostering healthier and more active communities.

When it comes to political violence, sadly, numb is normal, Scott Holland writes

Will Tier 2 pension changes be the defining political fight of 2025?

In this weekend’s “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster reflects on the music of The Beach Boys and the talented legacy of frontman Brian Wilson. 

There’s no practical restitution for the damages inflicted on Illinois by Mike Madigan, Scott Holland writes. Absent fully dismantled levers of power, this sentence isn’t the final chapter on Statehouse corruption

The Battle of Bunker Hill is one of the legendary engagements of the American Revolution, though it is full of misconceptions and oddities. Not only was it fought on a different hill, but its famous catchphrase was likely never uttered. 

Several extensive public infrastructure projects are underway in the Sauk Valley region, and project managers are working diligently to keep them moving forward.

Yesterday was a busy work day here. A lot of jobs were completed for the upcoming wedding of daughter Verena and Daniel Ray.

It’s good to think globally, but don’t leave out acting locally. We need you. Learn from those old seekers and do better this time. You can do it.

Paying attention to IDFPR can be quite instructive in terms of what’s happening in a community and understanding the ways in which Springfield attempts (and sometimes fails) to operate.

The burr oak at Hickory Knolls Natural Area is 240 years old and is 90 feet from branch tip to branch tip, the length of the world’s largest animal – the blue whale, Patricia MacMillan of the St. Charles Park District writes in her column.

The role of the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office is to uphold and protect the right to protest – while also ensuring the safety of all participants, bystanders and the broader community.

I’m reasonably sure there’s no suggestion box at the Statehouse, but surely voters have dozens of other ideas for ways to improve Springfield’s efficiency.

There are plenty of offseason championship jokes to go around Chicago, but the Bears did do some major heavy lifting since the end of a dysfunctional 2024 season, Marc Silverman writes

In this weekend’s “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster shares some local gift ideas for Father's Day.

Ultimately both sets, whether macro or micro, require substantial dot connecting to yield policy recommendations.