Opinion: Columns

Opinion|Vaughn: Kishwaukee United Way is thrilled to announce the launch of its annual $1,000 scholarship for a first-generation graduating senior or current college student this spring.

Toby Moore writes about finishing what you started in life.

Opinion: The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to fostering a thriving local economy and a strong civic culture. One of the most impactful ways to influence the future of our community is by participating in local elections, writes Shelby Crackel.

On Thursday, the first official day of spring, I caught a “glimmer.”

Here’s a thought: Your internal world manifests your external world.

Column: A new program offered in DeKalb this summer will invite high schoolers to learn more about potential career choices, visit active job sites and training facilities, and gain firsthand insight into what it takes to succeed in skilled trades, writes Matt Duffy.

Opinion: In the 2023 Consolidated Election, only 6,175 of DeKalb County’s 61,435 registered voters cast a ballot – a turnout of just 10%. This level of voter participation is concerning when you consider how directly these elected leaders impact our lives, writes Clerk Tasha Sims

For most of my adult life, I have been on a quest for wisdom with a capital W.

When the glorious new Dixon Theater opened with great fanfare on March 15, 1922, Ronald Reagan could be found sitting in the balcony.

Toby Moore writes about the art of saying less is better than saying more.

Who here has not heard the old proverb “Every cloud has a silver lining?”

A conference for families and professionals who care for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities takes place Saturday in Woodstock.

In Illinois, about 3.6 million people rely on Medicaid, or nearly a third of the state’s population, writes Abbey Nicholas, director of NAMI McHenry County.

According to the CDC, every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. That’s why it’s so important to know the signs of a heart attack and be prepared to act fast if it happens to you or someone you care about.

Toby Moore writes about the idea of keeping our heroes in the proper perspective.

Lent begins next week on Ash Wednesday.

With the March 2 grand opening of the newly renovated Dixon Historic Theatre, our historian, Tom Wadsworth, turns his attention to the rich history of this 100-year-old Dixon institution.

Opinion: Kishwaukee United Way is in its second year implementing a new initiative centered around helping individuals upgrade their lives from survival mode to a thriving future with the Digital Crossover program.

When someone says something cruel or mean, they aren’t aiming it at you. They’re aiming it at people from their past who left emotional scars. You happen to be standing in the crossfire.

Dementia isn’t a single disease. It’s more like an umbrella term for a group of symptoms caused by damage to brain cells, writes MercyHealth's Dr. Amarish Davé.

What are you most passionate about?

Toby Moore writes about how some in the medical field over the centuries were at first ridiculed for their innovations but were proven right years later.

Consuming dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, arugula and collard greens can make a difference in the look of our skin, hair and eyes.

Since the substance of the Origin of all things is Love, that means at your heart, you are love too.

Who managed Ronald Reagan's media campaign? Armed with 30 years of radio, television, and advertising experience, 58-year-old Moon Reagan became the media mastermind behind Ron’s 1966 campaign.  

"Illinois is heading into a fiscal storm in 2025, facing a trifecta of challenges that could have mammoth consequences for both the state and its municipalities," writes state Sen. Craig Wilcox.

Deep inside of us, no matter how old we are, we long for our mother.

Unfortunately, oversalting sidewalks, parking lots and roadways in an effort to reduce ice-related injuries is also causing chloride toxicity in our waterways and impacts aquatic life, soil and human health, writes Julie Jesmer of DeKalb's Citizens' Environmental Commission.

This past week was a reminder of those times and that awful place

It can be difficult to stay positive

There is nothing like making a good decision and being reminded how good it was

More than two decades ago, a popular show called “The Bachelor” debuted on television.

Opinion|Vaughn: Kicking off 2025, Kishwaukee United Way teamed up with DeKalb High School for an electrifying gym rally designed to motivate students and staff to finish the academic school year on a high note.

In 1939, Ronald Reagan, now a movie star, urged his brother Neil to visit him in Hollywood and tour Warner Brothers studios. At the same time, Ronald arranged for Neil to take a screen test. The audition was so successful, Neil left his radio job and moved to California in 1940.

A brutal cold snap with several inches of snow hit Springfield as we were finishing the work of the previous Legislature and starting the new one this month

Sitting in a lake house made up of glass windows surrounded by tall, bare trees and flurries of snow, I felt like I was inside a snow globe

Where did January go? Here we are, the last weekend of the month. So much has happened already. With another week to go, it is scary to think what else could happen. And what else we could needlessly worry about

When the Manteno fire whistle sounded in the late afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1951, volunteer firefighter Paul Maisonneuve was donating a pint of blood at the Red Cross blood bank

So, is that the craziest title yet on my articles? Well, hang on.

The blessed virgin Mary is an intricate part of my life.

Many people feel they can’t have the life they want because of their past limitations or failures

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

How do your eyes look at the world around you?

This column will reveal some of the surprising details about Neil "Moon" Reagan, Ronald Reagan’s older brother by two years.

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

"The new year brings an abundance of opportunities for those in our county to access needed services," writes guest columnist Leonetta Rizzi of the McHenry County Mental Health Board.

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.

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.