Opinion

Districts have to follow the laws, which means they have to cough up the difference. ISBE estimates lawmakers would need to spend $142.2 million more in the next fiscal year just to fall short by the same percentage as this cycle.

Bob Cotner was more than a writer; he was a scholar, poet and storyteller who wove his wisdom and compassion into every article he contributed.

During my childhood, Christmas was magic.

What kind of man was Charles R. Walgreen? What kind of personality could build an empire from nothing to almost 500 stores throughout the country?

Unlike the DoorDash settlement, which included information about how many drivers stood to divide the settlement pool, the Grubhub deal is short on details.

In 105 years of Chicago Bears football, Ryan Poles is the architect of the two longest losing streaks and it took him just three seasons

Theater construction upgrades still underway; grand opening will be March 2 with the National Touring Broadway Show, “Spamilton."

Explore two wineries that were instrumental in the establishment of the American wine industry, and catch a wide array of tasting note recommendations perfect for the holiday season and beyond.

Someone is always trying to tell us how we’re supposed to achieve whatever look is trending.

Bielema: Rita Crundwell's commutation was a miscarriage of justice and she should have had to the pay the full price in the name of fairness to her victims – the same ones she stole from year, after year, after year.

For those who like to write, The Times and NewsTribune is offering an opportunity for your voice to be heard.

Expect a history lesson, bring a calculator and a working knowledge of actuarial science.

Trouble is, the governor committed to the House Speaker and Senate President not to spend that money until all three could agree what it would be spent on.

Sterling councilman: The issue of homelessness transcends communities, social services, organizations, agencies and all levels of government.

But I want to stay positive this holiday season. People do good things. If good people keep doing good things, maybe they will change the hostile, the mean, the selfish for the better.

Fans of the beloved television special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” eagerly await the annual appearance of the little reindeer. The show has a strong Illinois connection.

I don’t travel much anymore. I feel like my main place is home taking care of my cows.

In addition to the new designs, we’ll be able to choose to keep the current design or adopt the 1918 centennial or 1968 sesquicentennial flags.

As a Gen-X kid, sitcoms and soap operas were my thing in the 70s and 80s.

If George McCaskey truly wants to win, he needs to put as much energy looking in the mirror as he did at scrubbing Hard Knocks from curse words, Marc Silverman writes

I am going to talk about the Heisman Trophy candidates and give you my pick.

Participating coaches may first want to know who they are going to be pooled with, but a close second finding out what is on the week’s menu for the hospitality room the nights they play.

Holiday Grinches lurk, waiting for unsuspecting holiday shoppers. Here are a few tips to help you avoid being a target this season.

We can both look California, where there are so many propositions on each ballot the state has to reset its numbering system every decade. Chaotic by comparison, that system gives our Midwestern sensibilities a sense of practical order.

Someone you know is missing somebody.

Prior records, criminal or otherwise, should factor strongly into decisions about whether suspects can abide by release conditions. If judges and prosecutors aren’t so empowered, lawmakers have an invitation to act

Whenever someone assures you that another person you’re both dealing with “understands” the “quid pro quo,” you’d be wise to run away as fast as you can and never look back.

Thanks to supporters, United Way of Lee County has been able to provide vital resources and support to individuals and families in need throughout 2024. 

On this day, millions of Americans are nervous, and some will even stay home. Others will laugh it off. It’s just another day on the calendar – or is it?

Have you noticed the “farmhouse” décor style making the rounds these days?

Aside from nature preserves, I’m grateful for the medical expertise that helps me, at 75, to walk the land without (much) limping or hard breathing.

'We are mindful that the legislature has considered amending the Vehicle Code, but it might also consider amending the Regulation Act'

Max Planck supports a theory that consciousness does not depend on our brain to exist and could move on when the brain stops. Perhaps to another brain. Another life.

One of the beautiful aspects of poetry is that a single poem can carry a thousand meanings, depending on the reader and the circumstances under which it is read.

Most Dixonites know about the connection between the Walgreen family and Hazelwood, also known as the Walgreen Estate. Another prominent Dixon landmark connected with the Walgreens is Charles R. Walgreen Field at the Dixon Municipal Airport.

John Williston Cook left a towering legacy on higher education in Illinois at the turn of the century. The founding president of Northern Illinois University, buildings are named for him at two of the state’s major universities.

The law enforcement community seeks changes now that a new Cook County state's attorney has taken office

Sincere belief in cash bail elimination carries a commitment to ensuring the current law applies equally in all cases.

It’s time for the Bears to put their money where their mouth is. No cutting corners with the process or with expenses, Marc Silverman writes

Caregiving for someone with dementia comes with a lot of lessons. Sometimes the things learned come from emotional or mental challenges. However, a few are more of the physical variety. To say they are hard lessons learned would be an understatement.

Sometimes it’s important to tune out before tuning in to give your senses a break.

Over the years I’ve tried to spend a few column inches sharing reader inspirations in hopes of making everyone’s holidays a little brighter.

We’re not to the point of remembering the past, we’re living the first draft of history.

Opinion: Did you know that the DeKalb Chamber is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year? Check out my itinerary and their jam-packed schedule! The Chamber's resident holiday helper, Elfie, writes about forthcoming family fun in December.

Americans have endured some tough years of late, which is nothing new in our history. One example is 1918, though that November, people found plenty of reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving.

DeWitt Clinton has been called the “father” of the legendary Erie Canal. It was only one part of a formidable legacy.

“Did you ever notice that every vice has its corresponding virtue?” So reflected my seasoned father as I was complaining about the faults I was discovering in my new farmer boss.

'…the entire landscape of public education has been dramatically altered, presenting new challenges and heightened scrutiny of public schools.'

Life is a countdown. To you know what. Sure, we all know this, but then we cross some kind of threshold. We reach a certain age and find ourselves measuring time. Counting down the numbers of years we might have left. At least I do.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, let’s talk about gratitude.