Opinion: For decades, American schools have followed the rhythms of the traditional calendar: 180 days of class broken up by holidays here and there, along with a longer winter break, and then a lengthy summer hiatus.

Opinion: Gov. JB Pritzker has been willing and able to use his personal resources to attract a high level of talent to public service at the state level, to all of our benefit.

Whoever is elected Illinois secretary of state in November — Democrat Alexi Giannoulias or Republican state Rep. Dan Brady — we hope the winner maintains the strong support for libraries exhibited by Jesse White, who is leaving the office after six terms.

Opinion: We need an investigation into $2 billion lost to fraud.

Opinion: Slowing, halting sale of single-use plastics at state, national parks is welcome, long overdue.

Here is the original transcript of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

Opinion: Bees work for us, and they need our help.

Opinion: This carnage of gun violence doesn’t have to happen and it must end. Congress can help make it happen.

We remember Gen. John A. Logan, the Illinoisan whose General Order No. 11, issued 154 years ago this month, transformed a few scattered local observances into the national holiday we now know as Memorial Day.