Opinion: Columns

"Her email got me thinking about how we honor the day we were born, throughout the different phases of our lives," Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes in her weekly Spirit Matters column.

Opinion: Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital has donated $7,500 to Kishwaukee United Way, bolstering the expansion of their remarkable 211 program, writes United Way's Michele Vaughn.

Somewhere between effort and faith, the road rises to meet us.

Summer is officially here, and so is the 30th season of the DeKalb Farmers’ Market presented by Northwestern Medicine! Mark your calendars for opening day on Thursday, June 5, writes Virginia Filicetti of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

"During these times of wild uncertainty, rest in the unequivocal certainty that our God indeed is everywhere, and in everything," Spirit Matters columnist Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes.

There are many ways to be an ally to LGBTQ+ youths. Know that with every supportive action you take, you are making a positive impact on a young person in the community.

On the very first day the eager soldiers of the 13th Illinois Infantry were given guns with bayonets, the regiment incurred its first injury of the war.

Have you ever had a season where it felt like everything was turning against you – at work, at home, even in your head? One minute, you’re moving toward a goal; the next, you spin your wheels in frustration.

"What’s happening now is not just a policy failure—it’s a moral one. Investing in youth mental health should never be up for debate," writes NAMI McHenry County Executive Director Abbey Nicholas.

"Both instances jarred me out of my everyday reality into an ineffably dazzling moment of feeling a genuine spiritual encounter with the divine," Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes in her Spirit Matters column.

Mother’s Day has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pause to honor the women who carried us, raised us, believed in us when no one else would, and loved us in ways we’ll never fully understand.

Opinion: As summer takes center stage in DeKalb County, we are thrilled to announce a fantastic lineup of events that promise fun, excitement, and community spirit, writes Cortney Strohacker of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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.

YMCA Executive Director Andy McFarlane: "The rising costs of running our programs – from staffing to supplies to utilities – are outpacing our ability to cover them."

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.  

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.

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

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: Get ready for an incredible experience at Kishwaukee United Way’s annual Day of Caring on June 12, writes Michele Vaughn of Kishwaukee United Way.

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.

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.

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?

By the time most of you read this week’s column, the somber remembrance of Good Friday will have given way to the mournful grief of Holy Saturday or the renewed hope of Easter Sunday.

Sign up for the June 14 Florissa Family 5K to support the pediatric developmental center, which provides developmental services for children.

Toby writes about how the road you’re on has always been waiting for you to realize – you’re the one who’s paving it

Opinion: At the heart of DeKalb County’s success has been a deep commitment to collaboration, writes Melissa Amedeo of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation.

The tree outside our window reminds me this morning of how the grounding aspects of the natural world have guided me through life.

From 1861 to 1865, Camp Dement at Dixon was a major training center, which then sent thousands of Dixon-trained soldiers to clash with Confederate soldiers in nearly every southern state, from Missouri to the Atlantic.

Shared goals, voiced early, dissolve resistance before it ever shows up. They create alignment, and alignment creates momentum.

What can combat a rash of stupidity? Fiction, Rick Holinger argues.

I was a student at Illinois Valley Community College when I first heard Kenny Loggins’ “Conviction of the Heart,” in 1991.

National Poetry Month, celebrated in April, turns a spotlight on the heartfelt art form.

Opinion: If you’re passionate about a healthy environment and sustainable future, then DeKalb County Earth Fest – a free and family-friendly event from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. this Saturday in DeKalb – is for you, writes Thomas Skuzinski.

Toby writes about how the mind responds to imagined experiences as if they were reality.

"Preventive health care is managing health with a goal of preventing disease processes before they occur," writes Mercyhealth nurse practitioner Elaine Lawrence.

Editor’s Note: This is the third of three installments about the history of The Dixon: Historic Theatre.

Back in the 1980s, my younger brothers and I religiously listened to Kasem’s America’s Top 40, every Sunday on the radio.

Opinion|Vaughn: Kishwaukee United Way is thrilled to announce the launch of its annual $1,000 scholarship for a first-generation graduating senior or current college student this spring.

Toby Moore writes about finishing what you started in life.

Opinion: The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to fostering a thriving local economy and a strong civic culture. One of the most impactful ways to influence the future of our community is by participating in local elections, writes Shelby Crackel.

On Thursday, the first official day of spring, I caught a “glimmer.”

Here’s a thought: Your internal world manifests your external world.

Column: A new program offered in DeKalb this summer will invite high schoolers to learn more about potential career choices, visit active job sites and training facilities, and gain firsthand insight into what it takes to succeed in skilled trades, writes Matt Duffy.

Opinion: In the 2023 Consolidated Election, only 6,175 of DeKalb County’s 61,435 registered voters cast a ballot – a turnout of just 10%. This level of voter participation is concerning when you consider how directly these elected leaders impact our lives, writes Clerk Tasha Sims

For most of my adult life, I have been on a quest for wisdom with a capital W.

When the glorious new Dixon Theater opened with great fanfare on March 15, 1922, Ronald Reagan could be found sitting in the balcony.

Toby Moore writes about the art of saying less is better than saying more.

Who here has not heard the old proverb “Every cloud has a silver lining?”

A conference for families and professionals who care for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities takes place Saturday in Woodstock.