'It is only through early detection from attentive medical experts that my condition was diagnosed so early, and resolved so quickly and effectively.'

In this week's column, Toby Moore most likely introduces a new word - pronoia. Wonder what it means?

Borowicz: Winter is a reflective time of year. As we celebrate the holidays with family and friends, make resolutions for the new year and slow down during the shorter, colder days, we naturally take time to reflect on our lives.

Lentils may be small in size as compared to other beans and legumes, but they pack a lot of nutrition into that little package.

BCR sports editor Kevin Hieronymus takes a look at the top golfers he's covered over the years The All-Hieronymus golf team dates back to 1997

To be clear, lawmakers (and their staffs) are working far more often than between the gavels. If nothing else, they should be responding to the constituent calls and emails I urge readers to generate.

With holiday tournaments and much of the non-conference schedule out of the way, it is time for high school basketball teams to concentrate on conference action and shoot-outs. Then it is on to the IHSA tournament action.

Twisters in Illinois in the winter months are not entirely rare. While the majority of the state’s tornadoes occur between March and May, a surprising number of tornadoes have struck in the months of meteorological winter, December, January and February.

Guest column: A special doll and a phone call from a friend brighten the holiday season.

Column: When you’re in the zone, you know it. It may be fleeting, but when it’s there, it’s as clear as a sunny day, writes Joan Budilovsky.

Our family spent a few days together over Christmas. We had a pizza and ice cream supper for Joe’s 57th birthday one night, then on Christmas, we had a 10:30 brunch.

With a new year ahead of us, a reset or grounding might not be a bad idea.

After a great Christmas with family, I think about what we have. How sometimes, we tend to “hang” in the past and forget that our future holds so much.

So while telling others what to do remains more satisfying than getting off my duff and making something happen, I’ll err on the side of practicality.

On Dec. 31, I finally finished reading a great book I started on Jan. 1, 2025. Yep, it took an entire year to read. But that was the plan.

Do you feel our President and the Republican party are doing everything possible to help you in your daily life? Are they focused on your needs?

Obendorf: I am always amazed how quickly some people say goodbye to Christmas and look to the year coming next.

The Mt. Morris Goodfellows would like to thank the many individuals, organizations, and businesses that chose to support our efforts by making a donation to help those in our community who, for some reason, could use a little assistance or community support.

Column: The DeKalb Citizens’ Environmental Commission will launch a Green Business Recognition Program in early 2026 to encourage and celebrate businesses that take meaningful steps toward sustainability, writes Linda Srygler and Shaun Langley.

COLUMN: If you’re a veteran of the armed forces, you certainly learned your share of military-specific jargon, acronyms, and other lingo during your service. Even the alphabet is phonetic. Now I want to introduce you to another term specific to veterans: Claims shark.

Bears fans, stop waiting for the other shoe to drop, Marc Silverman writes. This team is real, Caleb Williams is built for the moment, and Ben Johnson delivered on every promise. Buckle up – January is going to be fun

As 2025 comes to a close, a look back at the year shows one filled with highs, lows and everything in between. It really was the "year that kept on giving," at least for the Olivers.

As 2025 draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments the city of Rochelle has achieved together over the past year with the support of staff, leadership and council members.

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes that New Year's Day resolution may not always be followed, but they do serve a purpose.

Turning bills into laws is only one step in a lengthy process. Money is usually required, and simply getting people talking about an issue is no guarantee those conversations will lead to action.

The big news coming out of the IHSA was an expansion of the football playoffs from 256 qualifying teams to 384.

As I prepare to close an 8-year chapter serving as city manager of Rochelle, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the residents, businesses and community partners who have supported our organization and our shared vision for this community.

"First and foremost, Illinois must restore a sense of fiscal responsibility," state Sen. Craig Wilcox of McHenry writes of his wish list for 2026.

That we’re still on the improvement path seven years later isn’t the most encouraging, but it does show a commitment to actually addressing problems.

In many ways, 2025 has been a year of sharp, jagged stab wounds.

We can learn a lot by looking at ourselves through the eyes of others. A Chinese scholar gave us that opportunity in his book, “America against America.”

Police departments faced many challenges in 2025 and policing will be even more demanding in the coming year, Tom Weitzel writes

Explore the white wines from The Hilt and Jonata labels.

Some districts will seize these new opportunities. But not every Illinois school is equipped to offer such options.

Dec. 31 marks the 250th anniversary of the death of Richard Montgomery, who was killed in the frontal assault on Quebec City on New Year’s Eve 1775.

What a joy it is to me when we can be with our loved ones. Let us remember the reason for the season.

My brain has changed my daily routine. The most significant impact has been on those precious moments in the morning when I am on the edge of waking up.

One more time looking back at the sports stories and people from 2025 through the eyes of your local sports editor, looking back at feel-good moments and sorrow, best quotes and interviews, favorite story and favorite game and those we've lost

During World War II and into the post-war period, two religions had chaplains: Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) and Jewish. There are now five religions with chaplains: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu.

At this time of year, whether we celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Christmas, the message is clear: love one another.

As Christmas gatherings take place, enjoy being with your friends and family. This is what the holiday season is all about.

Merry Christmas, Bears fans. For the first time in a while, it is a merry football season and a happy playoff year. How many people did you hug last Saturday night? Joyous, glorious hugs even from strangers because of what we witnessed.

In recent years, Christmas decorations have been coming out immediately after Halloween, and by Thanksgiving we’re bombarded with demands that we buy this or that gift. Unfortunately, I suspect some of my ancestors might be responsible for this holiday excess.

Column: As we close out the year, we look forward to continuing our mission of guiding, inspiring and promoting our member businesses, writes Shirley Mott of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

December is almost over. We participated in the annual Christmas Walk parade. Our float was decorated with Christmas lights, a Snoopy doghouse and the Peanuts characters.

Trying to keep up with all that's happening in the battle against Alzheimer's disease isn't easy when you're a caregiver. The Alzheimer's Association is here to help with five things that were learned about the disease in 2025.

Toby Moore shares his thoughts on Christmas, how they've changed over the years and what he looks forward to when the holiday season rolls around.

In fiscal 2025 the state’s public K-12 spending was just shy of $11 billion. In fiscal 2026, it’s nearly $11.2 billion. Each figure constitutes roughly 20% of the General Revenue Fund.

Hellmich: Most people in the Sauk Valley value the spirit of collegiality and use it to find common ground with people of varying political, social, and religious views to improve our communities.

'Giving public money to a professional sports franchise doesn’t crack the top 100 things the people of Illinois are asking for, expecting, or willing to tolerate right now.'