Looking ahead to the rest of President Donald Trump’s final term in office is a challenge when there are still three years left. However, interviews with active and former Illinois Republicans give a glimpse into the party’s attitude toward the future in Illinois and overall. Trump’s political support as head of the Republican Party, while […]
Newsletter – Main
Posted inNews
A legacy and a vision
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Illinois Times, a remarkable achievement for a locally owned, independent publication. Over the past few decades, changing trends in readership and advertising have led to steep declines in the number of newspapers nationwide, with the pandemic only accelerating the demise of many publications. Northwestern University’s Medill School of […]
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Illinois veterans, VA employees rally to protest expected Trump administration cuts
John Gerend, a Vietnam War veteran from Lake Villa, Illinois, was exposed to Agent Orange while on duty. Suffering from diseases associated with exposure to the toxic chemical, he said he still considers himself fortunate. “I’ve had some issues with it — diabetes, some heart issues and so on — but there are many more […]
Posted inOpinion
U.S. Attorney’s office seeing little success in public corruption trials
As you likely know by now, a federal jury deadlocked last week on all three corruption charges against Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago. U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood declared a mistrial after polling individual jurors and arriving at the conclusion that they could not possibly reach a verdict. When you think of the Chicago U.S. […]
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Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announces U.S. Senate campaign
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is the first Democrat to step into what is expected to be a crowded race to fill Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat. Stratton launched her campaign Thursday morning in a video just one day after Durbin announced he will not seek reelection for a seat he has held since 1997. “As Donald […]
Posted inOpinion
Released from prison with nowhere to go
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 […]
Posted inNews
A bill to boost beer breweries
A bill currently being considered by the General Assembly is aimed at making life easier – and more profitable – for small craft beer companies throughout the state. “The majority of Illinois liquor law is pretty much from the 1930s, like Prohibition era,” said Brent Schwoerer, owner, founder and brewmaster at Springfield’s Engrained Brewing Co. […]
Posted inNews
A better way to treat juvenile offenders
Inspired by reform efforts in Ireland and Germany, Illinois activists are working to pass legislation that would offer more rehabilitation opportunities for youth offenders, allowing them to get their lives back on track and stay out of prison. Senate Bill 2156, which has passed the Senate and moved to the House, is the first step […]
Posted inOpinion
Remember U.S. Grant of Illinois
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. […]
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A loss for Illinois farmers and food banks
The decision to eliminate federal funding for programs that support farmers and food banks goes against the Trump administration’s commitment to “Make America Healthy Again” according to advocates for local producers and nonprofit hunger abatement organizations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in February cut two federal programs, the Local Food for Schools program and the […]
Posted inNews
Sen. Dick Durbin to retire after more than four decades in Congress
Longtime Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. Senate, announced he will retire after his term ends in January 2027. “I truly love the job of being United State Senator, but in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said in a social media video. Durbin’s retirement […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Trump immigration actions are only latest in white supremacy tradition
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled recently that Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia must be released and returned to his family. He was wrongfully deported to the high-security prison in El Salvador based on what the Trump administration calls an “administrative error.” However, during a recent visit to the Oval Office with President Donald Trump, […]
