FarmWeek: Loretta Hall said one word came to mind as she and husband, John, watched the semi loaded with 21 bales of hay approach their cattle ranch in northwest Texas.“Hallelujah!”

The spring session of the Illinois General Assembly is now history. At the beginning of the session, there was renewed hope that critical aspects of Illinois government might change. After all, for the first time in decades, the House had a new speaker.

The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority has been a thorn in taxpayers’ side since its late-1980s creation paved the way for junking the original Comiskey Park, and it’s also responsible for the early 2000s Soldier Field renovation that cost nearly $400 million. There’s no way elected officials could stay out of yet another mega-development, which tends to mean using public money to offset the expenses of private companies who will make profits once games are played.

We employ police officers to make tough, sometimes violent, decisions on the street. It’s an important job that can determine whether someone lives or dies. We know from the deaths of George Floyd and others that sometimes officers use lethal force inappropriately.

I realized a few months ago that I’ve waited too long to pass the “tongs” off, so this holiday weekend was important. It represented a “changing of the guard” for our holiday tradition.

The redrawn Illinois Supreme Court map strongly suggests the new Democratic regime in the state capitol may be worse than the old one

Scott Reeder takes a look at well-intentioned but faulty legislation pending before the state Senate that would bankrupt pet stores and hurt dog breeders across Illinois.

Illinois lawmakers are considering placing a warning label on video games that have the "loot box" feature. The bill's sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez says it's a predatory practice preying on children. Scott Reeder relates his family's experience with the technology.

Gov. JB Pritzker has backed off a pledge to veto any redistricting bill not coming from an independent commission. Scott Reeder takes a look at why.