National Apprenticeship Week celebrates its 10th anniversary from Nov. 17-23.

There are three quick takeaways from a recently released report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute on the “State of the Unions” in Illinois.

"Any suburban legislator that votes to consolidate the transit boards ... will be voting against the interest of the residents that they have been elected to represent," write McHenry County Board Chairman Michael Buehler and county council of governments President Rick Mack.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs explains what his office does and doesn't do.

Since the dawn of time, it seems, parents and grandparents have been regularly socking away spare money for their grandchildren to help with the cost of a college education.

That siren means something life-threatening is happening, the National Weather Service says. Whether it’s a tornado, strong wind, hail or another emergency depends on the agency that controls the sirens going off.

While the lottery encourages more people to get vaccinated, this game sets a bad example. There has to be another way to get people vaccinated without making it yet another game of chance.

The first members of the Hall of Fame will be bands REO Speedwagon, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Ides of March and The Buckinghams; bluesmen Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters; deejays Dick Biondi and Larry Lujack; Chicago radio powerhouse WLS-AM; and Chess Records, a Chicago blues label founded by two brothers who immigrated from Poland.

We have come so far and made much progress over the past 18 months. And have much to look forward to. We don’t want to revert to where we were.