To be clear, lawmakers (and their staffs) are working far more often than between the gavels. If nothing else, they should be responding to the constituent calls and emails I urge readers to generate.

Twisters in Illinois in the winter months are not entirely rare. While the majority of the state’s tornadoes occur between March and May, a surprising number of tornadoes have struck in the months of meteorological winter, December, January and February.

So while telling others what to do remains more satisfying than getting off my duff and making something happen, I’ll err on the side of practicality.

COLUMN: If you’re a veteran of the armed forces, you certainly learned your share of military-specific jargon, acronyms, and other lingo during your service. Even the alphabet is phonetic. Now I want to introduce you to another term specific to veterans: Claims shark.

Turning bills into laws is only one step in a lengthy process. Money is usually required, and simply getting people talking about an issue is no guarantee those conversations will lead to action.

That we’re still on the improvement path seven years later isn’t the most encouraging, but it does show a commitment to actually addressing problems.

Some districts will seize these new opportunities. But not every Illinois school is equipped to offer such options.

Dec. 31 marks the 250th anniversary of the death of Richard Montgomery, who was killed in the frontal assault on Quebec City on New Year’s Eve 1775.

In fiscal 2025 the state’s public K-12 spending was just shy of $11 billion. In fiscal 2026, it’s nearly $11.2 billion. Each figure constitutes roughly 20% of the General Revenue Fund.