Opinion

Illinois is home to more than one million lead service lines, the highest state total in the nation. While efforts to replace these aging and harmful pipes are underway, completing such a massive undertaking will take years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a national deadline of 2037 for full lead pipe replacement, though […]

From Route 66 nostalgia and Abraham Lincoln sites to a vibrant dining scene and a new sports park that is poised to make our city a regional destination, Springfield has a lot to offer visitors. Yet, what should be our crown jewel – our beautiful and historic downtown – has become stagnant in recent years […]

For the second year in a row, the state of Illinois has chosen to underfund the backbone of its conservation infrastructure. This year’s state budget once again provides only $4.5 million in operational funding for the state’s 97 soil and water conservation districts – comparable to levels from the 1990s. It represents a 48% cut […]

On June 26, I sent the following letter to the Springfield Park District board of directors. I am writing to you with a profound sense of urgency and concern regarding the current state of Robin Roberts Stadium – a facility that should be a source of pride for the city of Springfield, especially as we […]

The United States Postal Service is on the brink of a self-induced collapse. The failed policies of the Delivering for America Plan have driven away customers through a combination of sky-high rate increases and degraded service. David Steiner, who will take over as Postmaster General on July 14, has a tough job to do and […]

The hundreds of thousands of Americans who took part in the “No Kings” protests across the country on Saturday, June 14, were asserting a demand that the current president and his minions comply with the rule of law. Elections do have consequences. It is the American way to oppose policies and programs of a president […]

Ten years ago, while teaching fourth grade at Glenwood Elementary School in Chatham, I embarked on a novel website: Mystery Location. Through Mystery Location, my class joined a class in California via Skype. Each class gave geographic clues to the other as to our locations. It was so exciting! The activity embodied the true wonder […]

For 60 years, Medicaid has provided essential health coverage for millions of Americans, ensuring that low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities and children receive the care they need. Yet, policymakers in Washington are considering hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to this essential program. Such a deeply flawed proposal must be rejected – not […]

As an organizer for the 50501 movement, organizing protests to protect the Constitution and our democracy, I sometimes hear nonparticipants question whether protesting really makes any difference. Some people claim that it is merely symbolic or that it only makes the protesters feel better by allowing them to publicly vent their frustrations. The study of […]

Since retiring from a career in state government I’ve enjoyed freelance writing about an eclectic range of topics, often focused on museums and cultural organizations, natural resources and the environment, health and fitness, community organizations, interesting people and local events.  It has become my continuing education and has also inspired me to want to learn […]

Being a veteran of the infamous siege of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War in 1968, I could relate somewhat to the siege that occurred at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1862 during America’s Civil War, when the Confederate defenders of the hilly Mississippi River town came under siege by Union forces led by General Ulysses S. […]