Columnist

Illinois must act now before getting hit with $705 million a year in SNAP benefits

Published by admin on Sat, 07/12/2025 - 11:41am

The costs to Illinois’ government because of the new Republican congressional budget reconciliation law will be steep.
However, the state has some time to prepare itself, and possible Democratic gains in the US House and Senate next year might be able to reverse or mitigate some of the steepest cuts to food security and healthcare programs before the vast majority of them take effect after the 2026 elections.

Lightning, Storms, and Natural Disasters

Published by admin on Mon, 07/07/2025 - 12:55pm

There has been much talk lately about global warming, and the change for the worse in our weather conditions. Others say that there is no such thing, and the bad weather, heat and drought are just a coincidence. Regardless of your stand on the matter, I contend that weather has, in at least one category, has gotten better, at least in this area. That category is destruction of property and life by lightning.

In The Good Old Summer Time

Published by admin on Mon, 07/07/2025 - 12:49pm

After surviving the first heat wave of the summer, I got to thinking about summertime in the 19th century, so let's set the scene. Houses for the most part had little insulation; the octagon house excluded. Window screens had not been invented, and without electricity, fans were hung from the ceiling and operated with a pull rope. Garbage pick-up did not exist.

Pritzker’s new running mate threw several punches

Published by admin on Sun, 07/06/2025 - 9:44am

Christian Mitchell has had strong detractors ever since Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle elevated the young Black man out of obscurity and backed him for the Illinois House in 2012.
Preckwinkle chose her trusted aide Mitchell over appointed Rep. Kimberly du Buclet (D-Chicago). Preckwinkle’s move upset a lot of people in that part of the world because the du Buclet family’s local influence had been strong for decades and Mitchell was not a born South Sider.

The first two weeks, July 1877, tragedy strikes

Published by admin on Mon, 06/30/2025 - 11:19am

There are times when I feel, real life resembles a tragedy by Shakespeare. July 4th, 1877 in Braidwood is one of those times. The epic armies are about to clash, tensions heighten, and a tragedy brought on by misfortune or alcohol results in death. Act 1 begins with a celebration day in honor of the birth of our country. The curtain comes up and we see the sun shining on a beautiful day.

Fourth of July celebration, not interested thank you

Published by admin on Mon, 06/30/2025 - 11:16am

Today we take a look at the up-coming holiday of 4th of July. The biggest celebration the town has ever given was in 1865 to honor the returned heroes of the Civil War. But that sort of patriotism quickly died away. We present a history of the holiday in the decade following, done Wilmington style.

‘Protecting’ Illinois is one thing, but making it better is another

Published by admin on Sat, 06/28/2025 - 1:49pm

“I ran for governor in 2018 to change our story,” Gov. JB Pritzker told a Chicago crowd last Thursday morning as he announced his bid for a third term. “I ran for governor in 2022 to keep telling our story. And I am running for governor in 2026 to protect our story.”
This general theme of protecting what Gov. Pritzker maintains is Illinois’ progress from damage by President Donald Trump will be the foundation of the governor’s reelection bid - at least for the foreseeable future.

Spring cleaning? Not too late

Published by admin on Mon, 06/23/2025 - 11:48am

It’s officially Summer. That means that flowers, warm breezes and fun times outdoors are calling. But to my mother, it meant spring house cleaning, no matter that the calendar said summer. I could never figure out why people wanted to ruin a wonderful season with housework. So to spread the doom and gloom, today we clean up 19th century style.

Law and order, or pigs and pokes

Published by admin on Mon, 06/23/2025 - 11:46am

Ask any law enforcement officer, and they will tell you that their job is not all skittles and beer. As many times as not, the arresting officer becomes the target of the person being arrested or the crowd that naturally surrounds the scene. But in the 19th century, this was even more of a problem. To me, it is a wonder that anyone would consent to becoming a constable. Let's look at a few examples from Braidwood's past.

19 Democrats who refused Madigan did the right thing

Published by admin on Sat, 06/21/2025 - 1:20pm

I reached out last week to several members of the “19” – the Democratic House members who refused to vote to re-elect House Speaker Michael Madigan in 2021, thereby forcing him into retirement.
I asked for their reaction to Madigan’s 90-month federal prison sentence handed down a few days earlier. Because it was a holiday (Father’s Day), I didn’t expect to hear much back.