Opinion

Roger Cannon was a humble, quiet leader and scoring machine for the Neponset Zephyrs in the mid-60s. He went on to a highly successful coaching career at Marengo High School. Cannon, who passed away on March 6, will be posthumously inducted into the IBCA Hall of Fame on May 3.

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

'Since there is a shortage, (teachers) know that they can continue to move until they find the highest salary.'

Among the foremost Illinois writers of the late 20th century was Norbert Blei, credited with 17 books and countless articles and short stories.  

I don’t know where the Bears are going… but I know where they came from just two months ago and you cannot call it anything but progress, Marc Silverman writes

Nestled in the Illinois Valley, a rich cultural tradition brought by Sicilian immigrants is quietly fading – but it deserves to be remembered, honored and revived.

As the television series "Life Below Zero" comes to an end, fans are left to reflect on the many life lessons provided by the cast member of this beloved show set in wild and remote Alaska.

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

Government isn’t a business that must perpetually grow to establish value for investors.

Released in 1993, Mrs. Doubtfire, while quirky at times, was a look into the ever-changing nature and definition of families.

Sometimes the inbox delivers an unsolicited point-counterpoint example of exactly the type of fundamental politics that ought to command attention in Springfield.

Advocates say a major storm is brewing that could overwhelm the state’s child foster care system.

The grapes sangiovese and vermentino are what winemaker Dan Fitzgerald has zeroed in on as the best fit for soil and climate on his 16,000-acre site.

Well, I’m not done with all the projects I envisioned for over the winter, but I’m glad spring isn’t waiting ‘til I’m caught up.

Pi Day has risen from a novelty on the calendar into a global celebration. Math and science lovers revel in it and organize intricate celebrations that only a geek could love. Others simply scratch their heads.  

Being unable to control how another government acts is rarely an impediment to discussing ramifications. And when there are harbingers of action, bracing for impact is fairly presented as due diligence.

Opinion: How does one sum up a life? How do we build a legacy? By letting actions speak for themselves, as the late DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott's loved ones shared at his funeral Friday.

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

The guilty plea spares a little emotion from a drawn-out trial, but there will be victim impact statements at sentencing and then life in prison for the killer. Too many other Illinois towns have their own grim anniversaries.

Marc Silverman: If I told you the Bears would acquire the Chiefs 2024 MVP this offseason, you would’ve laughed. Joe Tuney was given that award by his teammates at the end of the season. 

Tom Weitzel examines whether Trump administration policies will benefit the law enforcement community

Longtime friendships are like flower gardens, the memories being made like flowers that bloom each season. In a time of loss, those memories are something to treasure and savor.

Toby Moore writes about the idea of keeping our heroes in the proper perspective.

We can’t entirely legislate consumer behavior, especially when the broader market involves interests far beyond one family looking to settle.

Opinion: Unless urgent action is taken, the Monarch butterfly in North America has a high probability of extinction in the next 60 years. Fortunately, local government officials are paying attention.

The latest report from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability shows that spending on “core” state services in the governor’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget will be 9.1% less in real dollars than it was in fiscal 2000.

Senate Bill 2040 would expand the Illinois Commerce Commission’s power to regulate vehicle towing companies.

Football season is over, but it seems I find myself writing about the Chicago Bears more and more.

Rural towns in Illinois and elsewhere have many landmarks of bygone eras. Among them are the remnants of the Chautauqua movement, called the “most American thing in America” by Theodore Roosevelt.

The final season of the Netflix series “Cobra Kai” aired and ended with a power punch.

Running a government means striking a balance between competing priorities. Leadership requires acknowledging mistakes, attempting amends and pursuing different solutions.

One reason for revealing my favorite go-to place goes like this: there are virtually innumerable places to walk, stroll, run, bike or skateboard (is that still a thing?) in Kane County.

Lent begins next week on Ash Wednesday.

With the March 2 grand opening of the newly renovated Dixon Historic Theatre, our historian, Tom Wadsworth, turns his attention to the rich history of this 100-year-old Dixon institution.

What sets our generation apart is our need to survive and adapt in ways uniquely shaped by the world we inherited.

On this specific issue, courts have made it clear the status quo is unsustainable.

Cooking can, at times, feel like an arduous task. But upcoming St. Charles Park District programs led by cookbook author and holistic nutrition and cooking coach Donna Fatigato have the recipe for fun.

The newness of this Bears marriage has finally pulled me out of my 2024 season malaise, Marc Silverman writes

When someone says something cruel or mean, they aren’t aiming it at you. They’re aiming it at people from their past who left emotional scars. You happen to be standing in the crossfire.

If one fix has been sufficiently attempted, trying another is reasonable.

Tom Petty said that waiting is the hardest part. When one is waiting for results of a biopsy, waiting can be a little like being on a roller-coaster ride.

I’m not sure if it is a byproduct of getting older but I find that I am using items as long as I can without throwing them away or getting a new one.

The best time to make this change has long since passed, so the second best time is now.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch didn’t sound all that enthused about passing any new ethics reforms during an interview last week.

Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed went to the Bureau County Board with a proposal suggesting filling the county jail with inmates from the infamous Cook County Jail in Chicago. 

In the Civil War, most soldiers were white. But some 190,000 Blacks served as well, and the facts behind their stories – and struggles – are sometimes overlooked. 

The governor can’t just pull the plug on those programs in the current fiscal year as the money is already appropriated. Abruptly reversing course would be disruptive, unwise and likely illegal.

What are you most passionate about?

With classes ranging from theatre production and all sorts of fitness opportunities to casting a new interest in fishing or aiming to explore archery, there’s never time to be bored at the St. Charles Park Districts teen center.

No legislation spontaneously lands on the governor’s desk, which makes paying attention to even efforts doomed to initial failure an important part of understanding the governmental process and the political priorities of those we send to Springfield.