Ogle County's Andy Colbert chronicles his annual trip to the National Restaurant Show.

The future isn’t there to hammer you. It’s a rolled-up carpet that unfolds an inch at a time. Don’t punish yourself for not having the entire floor already covered. The joy is in the reveal.

I’m very much guilty of identifying as “not a math person” or, as written in September, an “English major who can’t help his sons with their math homework once they reach middle school.”

The governor has a very good executive staff. But there’s no substitute for a present governor. Legislators are generally a needy bunch. They see him on national TV during session and wonder why he isn’t attending to them. That’s simple Statehouse reality and has been forever.

Column: When power outages occur, Batavia Electric crews work as quickly and safely as possible to restore service, writes Lori Botterman of the City of Batavia.

Sunday marked the 249th anniversary of the establishment of the official American flag, which was created by an act of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.

Column: Like so many of us, I struggle with motivation to improve my physical self, writes Joan Budilovsky.

Maine Democrats have just chosen Platner to challenge five-term Republican Susan Collins in November.

That said … real fixes aren’t possible without extra money, either, otherwise the problems probably wouldn’t persist. And so it’s back to the beginning: absent additional spending, no improvements will be sufficient.

In this week's column, Dennis Marek wonders way so many people opt to give up on marriage.

In early June, French economist Thomas Piketty and his team unveiled a comprehensive program for global managed decline dressed up in the language of climate justice and equality.

Betty Obendorf of the Polo Historical Society describes a hectic week of preparing for a program at the museum.

COLUMN: The relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and many Christian denominations has a history fraught with misunderstanding, exclusion, and profound hurt. So, it is heartening when faith communities work to grow in understanding and greater acceptance of others.

Lawmakers should not overlook a proven tool that has quietly delivered results for more than two decades: the Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit.

President Donald Trump is finally building the border wall he has promised for more than a decade.

Column: The St. Charles Park District is ready to open a new disc golf course, and a well-loved golf course has a new short-game opportunity as part of its commitment to recreation opportunities for all ages, writes Melissa Rubalcaba Riske for the park district.

To the extent these bills placate either of the competing interests at this juncture – or even after all the audits are released and scrutinized – everything is subject to change if or when Congress changes the tools in the box.

Where is the soaring rhetoric of the past, even the recent past, that sought to proclaim a unity of purpose?

There was nothing mini from this week’s Bears camp. In the words of Ben Johnson, “everything matters.” And when he says everything, he means EVERYTHING. Here are three Bears players that Marc Silverman says are on the spot to earn Johnson's trust.

Contests are funny. No one wants to be judged…unless it’s by our peers….and not a jury of our peers.

My inbox was full of releases from groups that typically lean left but had plenty to say about the General Assembly’s funding commitments for certain priorities.

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes no job is unimportant and all jobs can teach valuable lessons - just ask NIVIDA founding partner Jensen Huang.

Take a look at Shaw Local photographer Alex T. Paschal's favorite photos in his Shutter to Think column.

It’s the saga that won’t die.

The people who know all too well what consequences this lack of attention has effectuated don’t have the luxury of turning to different challenges.

Here is a list of core screenings men should consider and discuss with their health care provider. The priority for some screenings may depend on age, lifestyle, and family history.

Column: When I think of Geneva, I think of Swedish Days, writes Elisa Reamer of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

This week marks the 60th anniversary of Miranda vs. Arizona, a landmark Supreme Court case that established the famous words that must be read before criminal interrogations.

With Forreston’s loss in sectional baseball, it’s a wrap for another high school sports season in Ogle County and also for this column. Both will return in August.

Global supply chains are essential to the movement of agricultural commodities around the world.

Betty Obendorf writes about needed renovations to the Polo Historical Society building in her weekly Ogle County Life column.

In this week's column, Dennis Marek wonders how civilization may function if or when we exhaust specific natural resources.

I’ve spent an awful lot of time trying to figure out how to make that all fit into eight semesters for my own kids and suspect I might not be alone.

As a lifelong Bears fan who wants the team to stay in Illinois, I refused to vote for any bill that gave special tax breaks to a billionaire franchise while everyday Illinois taxpayers are drowning in the second highest property taxes in America.

Can Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, survive his sexting scandal? The first thing to know is how little we know about it.

The Flagg-Rochelle Public Library's HVAC replacement project is done, and the library is ready to welcome patrons for its summer reading program, Director Sarah Flanagan writes.

In her biweekly column, “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster writes about a trip to Utah, which offered spectacular views and the chance to swim in a 12,000-year-old crater.

You can drop in any other policy area (property tax reform, transportation infrastructure, prescription drug access, etc.) and the question is equally applicable: Do voters want somebody with a plan or someone who is merely opposed to the status quo?

Billions meant for real needs flowed to scammers

Marc Silverman argues that despite uncertainty off the field, the Bears are building something fans can genuinely believe in this season

AI, AI, that’s all one hears about lately. AI is presented as the next greatest deal since sliced bread. So what is the fuss all about?

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes most never feel ready to pursue what they were born to do.

The Democrats’ apparent choice to replace Maine Republican Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate has built a rap sheet of dazzling disqualifiers.

Nothing exists in isolation, least of all venues that seat tens of thousands of people.

Shaw Local sports reporter Hart Pisani got behind the wheel of a stock car ahead of NASCAR's return to Joliet's Chicagoland Speedway as part of the NASCAR Racing Experience. And what an experience it was.

The plan gets the biggest detail (mostly) correct: 'If a homeowner fails to pay their debt in an initial redemption period, and their property is seized and sold, they will receive any surplus funds left over from the auction.'

William Stephen Hamilton was an early Illinois legislator who platted the city of Peoria. The sixth child and fifth son, William, was nearly 7 when his father was killed in a duel.

Column: On May 13, four members of our local League made the drive to Springfield and participated in the League of Women Voters of Illinois’ Lobby Day. We focused on three bills, writes DeKalb County league chapter president Christi Slavenas.

In this week's column, Dennis Marek seeks to explain the reason for a right-handed dominated world.

Some of the push for new revenue now could be an attempt to offset a deficit in fiscal 2028 – a February report suggested the figure might reach $1.5 billion – with at least one Democrat specifically targeting concerns toward uncertainty from Washington