Columnist

Among The Icebergs or Taking It Cool

Published by admin on Mon, 01/20/2025 - 11:50am

Now that the cold has really set in, ice is forming on the Kankakee. The river doesn't freeze as fast or as deep as it used to. Not only because of global warming, but because of the various places that add warm water back into the stream, such as the hydroelectric dam in Kankakee. In the 19th century the river was usually frozen over by January.
In January 1879 Ed Conley, editor of the Wilmington Advocate took a trip to an icehouse to see exactly how it was done. The following was his description of a long lost business.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, winter tales

Published by admin on Mon, 01/20/2025 - 11:39am

It's here. Those of you living in an old house as I do, learn to dread this time of year. But, snow and cold weather are part of life in our neck of the woods. Today we tell some winter tales to make us glad to be snuggled down reading the paper on a cold night.

Madigan should’ve known better

Published by admin on Sat, 01/18/2025 - 2:21pm

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longtime law firm partner Vincent “Bud” Getzendanner testified in Madigan’s defense against numerous federal charges last week.
One of the main themes of Getzendanner’s testimony was the property tax firm’s process of weeding out clients and potential clients who could pose a conflict of interest to Madigan.

You can't get there from here, 175 years of bad roads

Published by admin on Mon, 01/13/2025 - 10:22am

I am sure that you have encountered road construction that slowed traffic to a crawl, while saying didn't they just work on this road. It was worked on last year and the year before. Why can't they make a road that lasts? I am sure the township road commissioners ask themselves the same question as they go out to repair pot holes, regrade gravel roads and plow snow. Today we look at the subject of roads and their importance to a thriving community.

To report, or not to report, when tensions run high

Published by admin on Mon, 01/13/2025 - 10:18am

Some one once said that history always repeats itself. I think that's true to a certain extent. Today we hear of tensions running high in cities around the country because of police vs. public confrontations. As these incidents are reported in the media there are some who charge that the very act of reporting gives fuel to the fires of the rioters. Those are not new concerns. Set the wayback machine to Braidwood, 1878.

House caucus off the rails over hemp bill

Published by admin on Sun, 01/12/2025 - 11:33am

Every now and then you get a story that helps explain the Statehousepower dynamic. The saga of the “intoxicating hemp” regulation bill is one of those stories.
The governor’s office began last week by handing House Speaker Chris Welch a list of 62 House Democrats who said they would vote for the hemp regulation bill.
The day ended with the bill in flames and a decision by the House Speaker not to move forward.

Technology made Custer Park what it is today

Published by admin on Mon, 01/06/2025 - 12:26pm

Custer Park, once part of Reed Township, is today a sleepy serene spot on the river. So how did technology have anything to do with it? The answer is that every industry that came to Custer was put out of business by technology.

Winter, polar vortex, and the transit of Venus

Published by admin on Mon, 01/06/2025 - 12:21pm

Well, it's no denying it's here; winter that is. And as I take out the heavy winter coat and try to find my gloves I look back to see what winter in Wilmington was like in the day,

Braidwood, no stranger to violence

Published by admin on Mon, 12/30/2024 - 11:38am

Everyday, all around us, we hear and see violence, whether it is in Gaza, Israel, Russia, the Ukraine or wherever, we wonder how can there ever be peace among them? How can they possibly get along after all this?. Our little corner of the world is no stranger to these kinds of problems. We have only to look at Braidwood in the late 1870's to see how we behaved under those conditions.

168 years of public service and still going

Published by admin on Mon, 12/30/2024 - 11:29am

Some buildings are built for living in, some are built for working in, and some are built to serve the public. In the latter group, it is rare to find a public building that is over 100 and still serving the public. But in Wilmington, we have one that's made it to 168 years old, and still going. I am speaking of the former Methodist Episcopal Church, now Wilmington Public Library at 201 S. Kankakee Street.