Columnist

Ill-informed posts backfires on state senator

Published by admin on Sun, 08/04/2024 - 3:51pm

A Facebook post last week by state Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago created a stir, caused one of his fellow Democratic Senators to bow out of a planned joint fundraiser and, ultimately, the entire fundraiser wascanceled.
It's all a good illustration of the ill-informed, rapid-fire insanity of our social media-fueled era.
Sen. Preston posted an incendiary story by a notorious British tabloid about Olympics boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria. “Boxer 'deemed male' leaves Italian female fighter in tears at Olympics,” was the Daily Mail headline.

We're off to the races, place your bet

Published by admin on Mon, 07/29/2024 - 3:22pm

When we think of the relationship between man and horse, we think of the old west. But Braidwood men have a history linked to the horse. Horses were used to haul lumber to the mines and coal away from it. Mules, a horse's cousin actually lived in the mines with the men. But there was another relationship - that of horse and rider at full speed around a track. That's the one we will look at today.

June 1878, another month in time

Published by admin on Mon, 07/29/2024 - 3:06pm

I chose this particular month, for no particular reason, except that there are newspapers in existence for the entire month. In this case the newspaper was the Wilmington column of the Joliet Signal. That is not always the case. So set the way back machine for 146 years ago, in the good old summer time.

Pritzker: proposed firearms removal law would be difficult to enforce

Published by admin on Fri, 07/26/2024 - 4:44pm

“I support Karina’s Law,” Gov. JB Pritzker emphatically told me.
It’s the strongest statement he’s made about the bill which stalled in the Senate last spring. The proposal would mandate that police remove firearms from a person who has been served with a domestic violence order of protection. But there still appear to be some Pritzker caveats.

The many faces of the Post Office

Published by admin on Mon, 07/22/2024 - 10:53am

If you have tried to send a package at the Post Office lately, you will usually find quite a line. In the 19th century, it was the same. It was a place where boy met girl and so much more. Our topic for today, is the Braidwood Post Office.
The first mention I can find of the Braidwood Post Office is from February 1875. “Upwards of 15,000 valentines passed through the Braidwood post office on Monday last.”

Getting away with murder, the case of Mrs. Rickey

Published by admin on Mon, 07/22/2024 - 10:52am

I have to admit it, I am a fan of murder mysteries, especially those with a twist at the end. Of course, these are figments of a creative writer's imagination.
However, I have found a real life story that happened right here in Will County in Troy Township. The judge involved was Judge Josiah Mc Roberts, known as being “the people's judge,” always lenient to those unfortunates that came before him. One wonders how he felt when the surprise ending was revealed to him.

Pritzker refutes $1.1 billion more for CPS

Published by admin on Sun, 07/21/2024 - 11:23am

An oft-repeated $1.1 billion demand from Chicago’s mayor would actually wind up costing state taxpayers $5.5 billion. And Gov. JB Pritzker is turning a big thumbs down.
Chicago Public Schools made the huge mistake of putting a ton of temporary federal pandemic aid into its permanent spending base for years and that money is just about gone. It also recently over-estimated some state tax revenues.

Elwood gossip, only it’s 140 years old

Published by admin on Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:34pm

One of the reasons we read our local paper is for the gossip. We may not call it that, but news of happenings to our neighbors is extremely interesting to us. It was no different 140 years ago. Today we repeat gossip that we read about our neighbors in Jackson Township, published over a century ago.

A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time

Published by admin on Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:32pm

The plot of the story seems familiar. It involves a car salesman, a test drive, a robbery, a wounded man, a get-away car, a chase by the mob, surrendering to the police, an inaccurate newspaper story and finally the truth of the matter for all to read. The movie could be a Gene Wilder comedy or a thriller with Johnny Depp. It is none of those, however. It is a true story from the Braidwood coal field. Set the way back machine for November 1916.

Chicago’s transit system is in tatters

Published by admin on Sat, 07/13/2024 - 1:56pm

A little-noticed bill passed both the Illinois House and Senate that will generate $300 to $400 million a year for local governments, including $95-127 million for the Regional Transportation Authority.
The bill (SB3362) will help capture sales tax revenue from more out of state retailers and in-state retailers who ship to Illinoisans in out of state locations.