Opinion

A top legislative budget negotiator last week said rank-and-file legislators will very soon have to come to terms with a state budget environment unlike anything many have ever seen before.

Every parking fee proposal incites negative feedback. While the DNR isn’t the worst-run state agency, it would unquestionably be in better shape with additional revenue.

Some of the greatest Western artists in American history were not born in the West. One example is Frank Reaugh, an Illinois native whose paintings are found in collections across Texas today.

Thanks to all the readers who came to meet me and support me. I hope you enjoy your cookbooks. Sometimes I feel like giving up writing this column each week. Then I talk to you, wonderful readers, and all the encouragement you give me.

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

'The increase is likely due to a surge in final tax payments stemming from higher capital gains and interest earnings as a result of strong market conditions and investment returns during tax year 2024.'

It turns out Christ was referring to the universal church, and Francis’s enduring impact on the church is evident 800 years after his death.

On May 9, 1861, hundreds of eager Civil War recruits streamed into Dixon for training as they formed the 13th Regiment of the Illinois Infantry. Their initial training grounds were at Camp Dement, which was located on the east side of Oakwood Cemetery.  

Whether it’s a country-and-western band with its own Nashville sound or an out-a-site party band playing the grittiest, grooviest garage rock hits, there is something for every musical taste.

Year over year it becomes clearer that those who thrive in the classroom do so because of passion.

The Genoa Days King & Queen Scholarship Competition takes during the first night of Genoa Days at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, writes Krissy Johnson of the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce.

Pete Crow-Armstrong learned from his rookie season to enter into MVP talks. Can Caleb Williams do the same, Marc Silverman wonders

Would you want to know if you could that you are going to develop Alzheimer's disease? That's a question that the Alzheimer's Association asked for a report that accompanies its annual Facts and Figures report.

Justice DeArmond: 'The FOID Act presumes no one has the right to keep and bear arms, unless and until the right holder proves otherwise. This is the definition of unconstitutional.'

Moore writes about how the lifetime efforts of a teacher didn't go unnoticed.

It’s hard to believe that Sunday will be the seventh Mother’s Day since my mom moved back in with my dad in heaven.

For such a prominent politician, former Gov. George Ryan’s personal biography is clearly of another time.

If Pritzker’s governance does start slipping because he’s running for higher office, I pledge to let my opinion be known. I will not stand for it. This state is far too important.

Verena and Daniel will be married in Dustin and Loretta’s pole barn and the reception will be held here.

May 7 marks the 110th anniversary of the loss of the Lusitania, which helped steer the United States into World War I against Germany. There were some area connections to the tragedy. 

Many professions study and acknowledge the effects of color for their clientele, including interior designers, makeup artists, clothing designers, chefs, landscapers and more.

Former state Sen. Kirk Dillard has been RTA chairman since 2014. To whatever extent local choices contributed to the current crisis, he can shoulder responsibility.

May has been meaningful for me in many ways, and yet none of those individual ways can adequately explain my love for the month, other than it just has a beautiful feminine vibe.

Opinion: The return of the Farmers Market is a big win for our community, bringing fresh, local goods back to Sycamore and offering a perfect way to spend a summer evening, writes Shelby Crackel of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce.

Implying a measured decrease in students is sufficient to reveal a failing elementary or high school district ignores other factors that might be at play.

The offseason ends at Halas Hall: Prove-it season begins for Bears players, Marc Silverman writes

As some question America’s standing as a nation of immigrants and our intentions and ability to fulfill our responsibilities under international law respecting people fleeing persecution, it is important to recall the concept of E Pluribus Unum, the association says.

Life without Mother was never easy, and I missed her my whole life.

The American Cancer Society recently released its latest Cancer Prevention and Early Detection statistics report. Anyone who is concerned about their risk of cancer should be interested in what the report has to say.

Their wines are not just about terroir; they’re about personality, patience and, occasionally, panic.

We’re still left with a scenario where lawmakers built something without knowing if it could be staffed and supported.

You are not just walking through life – you are shaping it from the inside out. Every thought, every emotion, every word is a pulse sent into the world, bending and shaping your path.

There is something truly liberating about getting in your car and heading out on the open road.

Opinion: Do you ever wonder where your trash goes after you bag it up and leave it at the curb? LRS, our local trash handler, promises us that its process is entirely sustainable, writes Julie Jesmer.

Those unfamiliar with an affected family likely give little regular thought to how much these challenges dominate every aspect of daily life.

Here is one your mother probably did not tell you. Keep your car clean and organized in case it does not start in cold weather and you need someone to come and change your battery.

During his short life, Casey Jones grew from a dedicated rail employee into a larger-than-life persona whose shadow is still cast on American folklore. 

I hope your Easter was blessed! May God bless you every day!

I regularly encourage readers to become informed voters and the media should play a role so voters don’t have to track down individual candidates at home just to get a question answered.

During the Civil War, Dixon boys were trained right here in Dixon along with recruits from throughout northern Illinois. This is the story of Dixon’s Civil War camp. 

I woke up Monday to a message from my niece that Pope Francis had died at the age of 88.

Paper pushers could go mad trying to figure out how much of each cafeteria pizza can trace its origins to the Land of Lincoln. To be fair, Rep. Harper isn’t suggesting anyone solve such an equation.

Marc Silverman's top scenarios for the Bears' number 10 pick in the NFL Draft

A Swedish study suggests a link between playing golf and longer life expectancy, highlighting the sport’s health benefits.

Spring has arrived and the familiar urge to revive my garden stirs within me once more.

Recent storms and coverage of the 60th anniversary of the Palm Sunday tornado in Crystal Lake is a good reminder that it's best to be prepared in case disaster strikes.

It’s very easy to argue that young children facing accusations that would warrant detention are far more likely to have their lives set on a new course if kept out of institutional punitive settings.

Maybe the next time you catch yourself trapped in routine, convinced that life is fixed and time is ticking in one direction, you pause and wonder: What else is possible?

I felt a sting on my arm, looked down, and there was a little beetle, with a snide look on his face, looking back at me.

Senate Bill 1238 would make it easier for residents in Illinois to access nonopioid pain treatment options.