Column

Mangler: We know it’s cold but if you could brave the wind chill, we’d love to see you at the final weekend of “It Had To Be You.”

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should’ve known better than to have ever worked with then-Chicago Alderman Danny Solis. He brought all this on himself.

'For transit to be useful, it has to be within walking distance of the places people are actually going. And the destinations where people are actually going are not in the middle of the freeway.'

Oats can be a great energy source for humans. They are a good source of starchy carbohydrates, and they contain a decent amount of protein and B vitamins.

During the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, many of the largest – and bloodiest – demonstrations were in the South. A series of violent clashes in Illinois in 1966, however, surprised even Martin Luther King Jr. himself.

Mark your calendars for Jan. 31, the next time Stowaway Bay takes over Knack Brewing and Fermentations

A man walks to the top of his hotel and finds a bar with several tables. He chooses one and sits down. After a couple of drinks, he says hello to the man seated at the next table

The year 1958 was one that 14 Kankakee boys would remember for the rest of their lives. It was the year that they came within one game of becoming the Little League World Champions

Rather than cover the expected funding gap, the RTA said doing things right actually would cost twice as much: $1.5 billion. Further, the report calls for "a strengthened RTA to oversee region-wide minimum service standards."

The Tigers rallied around teammate Jackson Mason's family, each player walking up in the stands to present his mother, Heather, a carnation during warmups. A moment of silence was held to honor Jackson's dad, Pat, and he went out and hit a 3-pointer for him.

St. Charles Park District's January Jamboree this Saturday is a chance to get out and embrace the winter season

Sometimes, life feels so busy I dream of having one more day in the week. How great would that be?

If you’re not subscribed to your officials’ newsletters, do so now! I’m interested in hearing who has the best strategy and how we can improve communication for all.

Ben Johnson is still the home run hire, but who are the Bears to scoff at Mike McCarthy, Marc Silverman writes

'When people asked me for help, if possible, I tried to help them,' Madigan said last week, surprisingly testifying in his own defense.

Paschal: For this year’s football player of the year, I did want to dip back a bit to a bygone era, if you will, and just add a little extra style to the image.

Every now and then you get a story that helps explain the Statehouse power dynamic. The saga of the “intoxicating hemp” regulation bill is one of those stories.

The good news is the website randomizes the list of options with each visit. The bad news is everything else.

Winter in Illinois can bring fast, sharp drops in temperature. None, though, were ever like the “sudden change” of 1836.

I see so many incredible people — many I’m lucky to call friends — doing things day in and day out to make this community stronger.

Ed Dlugopolski was over 90 years old when he died last year. His career teaching art at Glenbard West High School spanned several decades, including the 1970s when my wife, Tia, was his student, then later a teacher in his department.

Even with the best science and technology and the most skilled and experienced human resources, that is not always enough. It truly takes a village.

Aviation has always been interesting to me

St. Charles Park District offers opportunities to homeschooled students to get a taste of the homestead life.

Record paper stories that captured people's attention in years passed.

Impactful legislation rarely materializes fully formed. Current debate on both topics echoes an ongoing discussion. Are these ideas now fully baked?

The century from 1860 to 1960 saw much change in the Village of Bourbonnais

One place I learned about recently that I’d love to visit is The Coral Castle in Florida

Despite the Senate approval and Gov. JB Pritzker’s endorsement, the issue more or less imploded during the waning hours of this week’s lame duck session.

Excuse me if I’m not waiving a Bears flag thinking everything is going to be okay after this endeavor, Marc Silverman writes

Follow bills on ilga.gov, and – at least once before Memorial Day – reach out to elected officials, be it email, phone call or response on social media.

'I don’t mean this as insulting, but I don’t trust ComEd to write anything that isn’t in their best interest.'

The story of the year is not supposed to happen on the first day of the year

The state of Illinois is comprised of 102 counties, and each carries a unique name.  A look at those names tells the tale not only of state, but American history.

Instead of putting all of your eggs in 2025’s basket, why not look at it as: “New year, improved me”?

After watching the movie that only covers his life up through the 1960s, I decided to dig deeper.

In early August 1958, Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Patterson, of Bourbonnais, received a telegram from Commander William Anderson, captain of the USS Nautilus

'The fact that we’re not even, in our current system, paying those relatives the same amount that we pay a stranger to care for a child, it’s pretty frustrating.'

Two centuries ago, farming followed a familiar and steady pattern each year.

Kind of like writing—pursuing the partially seen, partially felt, partially hidden, and, if it’s going well, most inviting.

An appreciation for how memories of presidents' brief visits to otherwise anonymous communities can still resonate decades into the future

I remember what winning felt like as a Bears fan. It was a long time ago. I ask the franchise to what it takes to get us back there, Marc Silverman writes

When winter winds chill us to the bone, hot rocks can soothe our frozen joints by sublimely relaxing away those cold weather blues.

Stretching almost four miles across the center of the city, Court Street is one of Kankakee’s oldest and longest streets

Let this be the year you face your battles, big or small, with the same fearless resolve

Altogether, these tidbits send us into the new year with a lesson that 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.

From 1946 until recent changes in the college football landscape, the Rose Bowl has traditionally been a matchup of the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-12.  

Opinion|Vaughn: This year, Kishwaukee United Way partnered with CST Industries for a second time to match employees with 32 families to give gifts, including winter clothing, educational toys, monetary gift cards and extra toys.

'By implementing these changes, we can deter repeated patterns of abuse and remove the source of these issues as they occur.'

It’s time to look back at the sports stories, quotes, games and people from 2024 through the eyes of your local sports editor.