Ask Jonathon Monken how he got the job as director of Illinois State Police — at the tender age of 29, with no law enforcement experience — and he’ll start with a story ab]]> Mark Jennings spent more than 20 years serving his country in the U.S. Army Airborne. When he retired around 2002, “Sarge,” as he was known, enjoyed gardening, cooking out and ]]> We’re approaching the fifth anniversary of an event that forever changed the fabric of American life, an event that shook us to our core — or might have, if anybody had bothered to notice.]]> Your insurance policy got canceled last month. Didn’t receive your notice in the mail? Me neither. I just happened to stumble across it recently while doing some research. The good news is, you&]]> The first time Renatta Frazier heard about massive grave robbing at an Alsip cemetery, she didn’t give it a second thought. A tiny village on the southwestern tip of Chica]]> I’d like to tell you a Christmas story. I’ve got a few of the main elements — a stable, some livestock, three wiseguys, and one devoutly religious couple, desperately seeking shelter]]> When I called Elbert Kern last week, the first words out of his mouth were simply “I’m done.” Kern’s tone reinforced that sentiment: His voice ]]> My friend Becky always made the same New Year’s resolution: to have a hot date on New Year’s Eve. That way, she had 12 months to work toward her goal, and it ]]> Untitled Document If you’re the kind of person who solves crossword puzzles with an ink pen, responds with the right questions faster than the contestants on Jeopardy!, and]]> There’s a specific string of words people use to describe Judy Dyer. They don’t just say she was smart; they use the word “wise.” They don’t jus]]> As I write this, I have been up all night. My feet are throbbing, my legs feel like they're made of old recycled tire rubber and my back has seized up so stiff that it hurts to str]]> Just about seven years ago, I moved here from Texas to find out whether I could still do journalism. I had worked for major mainstream newspapers in Dallas and in Anchorage (yes, Alaska),]]> Untitled Document Letitia Dewith-Anderson once scared me silly. She rang my phone, which she didn’t do very often, and when I answered I could tell that this call was of so]]> Next to “like,” I believe the most overused word in the English language is “ironic.” It’s, like, you turn 12, and you learn, like, this cool word, and you sudd]]> From the kitchen table where he was eating supper with his family, Jeff Hart saw the clouds change direction. They rolled east, then shifted suddenly west, like they had just de]]> Nothing about last Thursday’s press conference was by the book. The announcement was hasty (less than an hour’s notice) yet the cast included the mayor, the polic]]> You’ve seen these guys before. OK, maybe not this specific trifecta of testosterone, but you’ve undoubtedly seen guys just like them, clowning around on the sidelines at the f]]> Untitled Document In 2002, this paper published a picture of Alva Busch using a blow dryer to remove decals from his work vehicle. At the time the snapshot was taken, in 2001, Bu]]> Untitled Document This is the stupidest column I’ve ever written. I just wanted to tell you that up front. And yeah, I know, my last column was about my dog — pretty ]]> Untitled Document Picture this: You’ve got floor seats for a sold-out concert, a date with the object of your obsession, a full set of fresh threads, and your hair looking ]]>