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.

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.

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