While resting up in the comfort of home for an ultra trail run on the Hennepin Canal, I took the night off from covering football and watched a few games on the NFHS streaming network. Simultaneously, I followed Byron, Forreston, Oregon and Stillman.

German ancestry is the most prevalent ancestry in the state, and the culture of the German homeland has been a mainstay in Illinois for a century and a half.

Column: Brush pickup begins Monday, Oct. 13, for east side residents and Monday, Oct. 20, for the west side, writes Lori Botterman.

Camp Grant had been established in 1917 as a training center for World War I soldiers. By 1918 it was the center of the Spanish Flu outbreak in our area.

Facebook algorithms review what you view, post, read, or browse while on the site. From that information, along with location data and other demographic data, they develop a profile which they sell to marketers and advertisers.

Anyone with a talent for carving or decorating pumpkins won’t want to miss submitting their masterpiece for Ghoulish Gourds on Parade with the St. Charles Park District.

My mother penned the Amish Cook column for 11 years. I was a teenager at home when she started writing. After her sudden death on Sept. 17, 2002, I started writing.

Column: Since many Scandinavians live in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, and South Elgin, I would love to hear from anyone who has baked with antler salt, writes Janet Lagerloef.

Opinion by Scott Holland: This project could be transformative beyond even bold predictions, but that degree of potential also drastically elevates the stakes of failing to deliver.

There’s a large hunk of rusted iron lingering in my backyard. Waiting.

Column: With grass growing slower and leaves starting to drop, our lawn care shifts from beautifying to cleaning up and preparing for the cold winter ahead, writes Rob Srygler of DeKalb's Citizens' Environmental Commission.

Larson: One who builds upon a strong foundation, will enjoy the blessings of life and weather every storm.

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

It’s important to remember that any development at this scale necessarily impacts public resources, even if just transportation infrastructure and emergency response.

For the entire month, wine lovers are encouraged to host small, casual get-togethers to celebrate their love of wine.

Ben Johnson gets the perfect scenario for the bye week – the good feelings of a two-game win streak while his team gets valuable time to reset, work, and improve with 13 games still on the schedule, Marc Silverman writes

Column: On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the public is invited to join the “Makers on the Move” Bus Tour as it stops in DeKalb County to celebrate centennial manufacturers and farms, writes Melissa Amedeo.

The Oswegoland Park District was created in a March referendum 75 years ago. The landmark Little White School Museum was completed on its present site at Jackson and Polk streets 175 years ago last spring.

A plethora of pink is about to hit us all during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. However, many of us who have had breast cancer aren't feeling very festive. Like the disease, it's a bit complicated.

Repetition works both ways. If negative words can burrow deep and take root, then positive ones can heal, strengthen and grow.

Plenty of legislative proposals are perennial, some with the same diligent sponsors and a few that represent old ideas under new names. On rare occasions, one party claims the other’s idea as its own and runs it up a different flagpole. That won’t happen with HB 2827.

Ambushes of law enforcement officers are a disturbing trend that must be stopped, columnist Tom Weitzel writes

Health literacy is defined as the ability to access, understand, appraise, and use health information and services to make informed health decisions for yourself and others.

Fiegenschuh: Over the past eight years as Rochelle’s city manager, I have had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team of elected officials, department heads, and employees who are deeply committed to serving our community.

Last year, Forreston’s football team was 2-7 because of losses to teams they could have beaten. This year, they are 4-1 because they are winning those same types of games.

The goal of the majority of Democrats has always been to have support from unions and the major environmental groups when it comes to big energy bills.

"Numeracy – like literacy – equips students to think critically, solve problems and make informed decisions in daily life."

The beloved "Peanuts" comic strip debuted 75 years ago on Oct. 2; two of the original four characters were written out.

Column: Developing societal kindness is not a new or novel concept. In fact, about 2600 years ago the Buddha was doing just that by teaching his disciples Metta Meditation. This is the meditation of loving-kindness, writes Joan Budilovsky.

Gvozdjak: I encourage our current area CEOs, civic, faith, and not-for-profit leaders to find ways to personally engage with our students and to invest in, mentor, and develop employees under the age of 40 to lead us forward.

Column: Apple cider, pumpkins and a spooky game of minigolf are the recipe for a perfect autumn outing with the St. Charles Park District.

But while water parks are fun, they don’t offer the thrills of rollercoasters and other rides that people travel some fair distances to enjoy. At the turn of the century, though, Kendall County residents didn’t have to drive for hours to enjoy amusement rides.

I enjoy a coffee with a Long John roll. I made two batches on Friday and took some along for family night. I told the family they are Short John rolls because I made them short. Haha!

Candidates should be motivated to increase turnout. But for elected officials, there are myriad better tweaks to enhance participation.

I throw away a lot of useful stuff. At least that’s how it feels. And this is not easy for me. I grew up with parents who found a way to use most everything they had. I inherited that habit.

After the Black Hawk War ended in August 1832, settlers from eastern states slowly began to feel safer about venturing into the Rock River valley.

Bearrows: As we transition into the vibrant season of fall, we are experiencing a bustling period here in Rochelle.

A friendly reminder from Autumn on Parade and the City of Oregon: We are about to have a huge influx of people who may have never been to Oregon. They don’t know our roads, our businesses, or our lifestyle.

"To ensure DOJ receives a voter registration list that reflects this de-duplication and removal of out-of-state deceased, the agency will provide DOJ with an updated list once these efforts are complete."

How did a 50 burger turn into a hotdog celebration just one week later? The answer is easy. Ben Johnson cooked, Marc Silverman writes.

LARSON: I know something about martyrdom. It is part of the history of the church. Church historians will tell you that the foundation of the church is built upon the blood of the martyrs.

It’s very interesting that our current President gets away with bypassing the Constitution, ignoring our legal system, and even demanding that our United States attorney general pursue a particular case or what to pursue in a case.

Living in the shadow of dementia means never really being sure what to expect. A recent trip to the dentist illustrates the difficulties caregivers can experience in even the most routine trips.

The Napa Valley winery is known for high quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

I’ve been blessed over the course of my lengthy journalism career to observe and document these seasonal celebrations in many communities.

Whatever you release – kindness, anger, pride, hope – doesn’t vanish. Like a boomerang, it circles back, sometimes years later, sometimes in an instant.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk serves as a reminded that security is of the utmost importance at political events

On Nov. 5, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that may determine whether the Constitution’s separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers between the three branches of the government will survive or be replaced by an autocratic government.

Energy subjects are especially interesting because they represent one of the few topics where typical political alliances are realigned.

Jim Edgar ran a brilliant campaign for governor in 1990. He set the template for every winning statewide race since then by focusing on the importance of independent suburban women.