Opinion

I’m reasonably sure there’s no suggestion box at the Statehouse, but surely voters have dozens of other ideas for ways to improve Springfield’s efficiency.

There are plenty of offseason championship jokes to go around Chicago, but the Bears did do some major heavy lifting since the end of a dysfunctional 2024 season, Marc Silverman writes

In honor of Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer's Association offers tips that all of us can use to help lower our risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Ultimately both sets, whether macro or micro, require substantial dot connecting to yield policy recommendations.

"I play guitar. Haphazardly – the best I can. I taught myself just playing on my parents’ porch in Princeton," Todd Volker writes in a Write Team column.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

The methods we’ve selected have some noticeable shortcomings, and if the process impedes progress, then it might be time to reevaluate the rules of engagement.

Human beings tend to wait until the last minute to do things. But the leaders need to start enforcing earlier deadlines for giant issues like this energy proposal so they can deal with other time-sensitive things (the budget and revenues, for instance) at the end.

One hundred and thirty years ago, in 1895, the first United States Open golf tournament was played. Illinois has a longer history with the event than most. 

We have entered the month of June. Oh goodness, I am actually getting nervous with the wedding of my daughter Verena and Daniel Ray being in 18 days.

"Believe it or not, one of the highlights of the trip was going to a living, functioning mall. Remember those?" Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes in her weekly Spirit Matters column.

A multi-sport complex at Proviso West High School in Hillside may be a great community investment. But it’s not more important than life safety issues elsewhere, and the GOP won’t let House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch shirk the spotlight.

"A trip to New York always provides stories to tell. Or for starters, a series of observations. Let me share more of my notes," Lonny Cain, retired managing editor of The Times in Ottawa, writes in his weekly column PaperWork.

This is the final part of a five-part series about Dixon’s remarkable role in the Civil War. Today's column focuses on the battle at Chickasaw Bayou on Dec. 28-29, 1862, complete with a list of 44 soldiers from the Illinois 13th who died as a result of the battle.

Column: Trees offer many benefits for both us and the environment. The city of DeKalb is currently offering to help plant trees in the parkways along your roads, writes Rob Srygler of the DeKalb Citizens' Environmental Commission.

"A candidate’s past margin of victory says nothing about the relative weight of mail-in ballots received after Election Day – and thus the strategic importance of extended poll-watching operations."

The Bears have changed course more than they’ve changed quarterbacks, Marc Silverman writes

As a caregiver, sometimes recognizing that there's a balance between taking care of one's charge and doing things for oneself can be difficult. And sometimes saying no to a function can be a form of self-care.

Perhaps if the Virginia Burgesses knew they could profit from gambling, sports books wouldn’t have operated under the table for hundreds of years.

In the early days of Facebook, we were tagged, poked, prodded and issued friend requests. We had no idea why we’re getting poked, tagged and prodded but we knew we liked it, we just weren’t sure why.

Every word you speak shapes the path ahead. So talk like someone who’s going somewhere.

Column: There’s a certain kind of magic that comes alive in Sycamore when summer arrives, writes Rose Treml of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce.

For quite a while now, most folks in politics have assumed that Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Comptroller Susana Mendoza will probably run for mayor of Chicago in 2027.

Under the Senate’s plan, the Regional Transportation Authority would become the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, a better name than before provided you can get past all the territory in the northern part of the state that would still be on the outside looking in.

Forty-five years ago this spring, the eruption of Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington captured the attention of the nation and dominated the airwaves for weeks.  

Happy 54th birthday, Mom. I wanted to thank you for all you have taught me.

"Her email got me thinking about how we honor the day we were born, throughout the different phases of our lives," Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes in her weekly Spirit Matters column.

There’s no way to fully satisfy either camp, underscoring the importance of making sure government functions adequately for enough voters to strike a balance.

"We get caught up in the story and the characters but I also remind myself that a human being, a real character, created the story with people we become attached to and relate to and remember," writes Lonny Cain, the retired managing editor of The Times, in his weekly column.

It is time for Illinois legislators to act and bring our public defense system into the 21st century. Access to justice cannot depend on wealth or geography. 

As the Illinois General Assembly approaches the critical May 31 deadline to secure funding for its public transit system, let’s be clear that this is not a light switch that can be turned off and on with ease.

Public voting from mid-January to Valentine’s Day revealed an overwhelming preference for the status quo, with about 43% of almost 385,000 votes opting against any change whatsoever. The current flag fared better than the combined total of the next five choices.

Ben Johnson's leadership is transforming the Bears' culture for success, Marc Silverman writes

With summer upon us, now's a good time to brush up on ways to stay safe and avoid skin cancer while enjoying the long, hot days ahead. The American Cancer Society offers some tips and strategies.

Bringing lawmakers back to Springfield at what might otherwise be a dormant stretch isn’t – or at least shouldn’t be – much cause for concern.

Somewhere between effort and faith, the road rises to meet us.

Summer is officially here, and so is the 30th season of the DeKalb Farmers’ Market presented by Northwestern Medicine! Mark your calendars for opening day on Thursday, June 5, writes Virginia Filicetti of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

The U.S. House’s Energy and Commerce Committee released its recommendations for budget reconciliation. A preliminary review by the Congressional Budget Office projected that, if implemented, at least 8.6 million Americans would lose Medicaid coverage during the coming decade.

It has been seven decades since the Korean conflict began in 1950, and finally ended three years later with an armistice between the United States, North Korea and China. The war came on the heels of World War II and involved 24 nations, with a cost of 2.2 million casualties.

Mom, we children decided to each write a birthday message to you for your 54th birthday, May 22.

"During these times of wild uncertainty, rest in the unequivocal certainty that our God indeed is everywhere, and in everything," Spirit Matters columnist Jerrilyn Zavada Novak writes.

But to hear Harper tell it, the issue isn’t so much inability to reach compromise as unwillingness to negotiate.

On the very first day the eager soldiers of the 13th Illinois Infantry were given guns with bayonets, the regiment incurred its first injury of the war.

Wick Warren brought a love for baseball and a southern accent when he arrived to join the Princeton High School baseball staff in 2015. Ten years later he leaves grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Tigers head coach the past nine seasons.

"I never cared for report cards," Lonny Cain, retired managing editor of The Times in Ottawa, writes in his Paperwork column.

"These milestones are a testament to the dedication and commitment of CMS, which has embraced efficiency, innovation and collaboration to improve past hiring challenges."

Marc Silverman reflects on the Bears' quarterback history and the need for change this time around with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams working together

Opinion: Rural communities are an essential part of DeKalb County’s economic strength and cultural identity, writes Melissa Amedeo of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation.

Have you ever had a season where it felt like everything was turning against you – at work, at home, even in your head? One minute, you’re moving toward a goal; the next, you spin your wheels in frustration.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and the theme this year is “In Every Story, There’s Strength.”