Whenever I ride that long, flat stretch of Illinois between Chicago and Davenport, I can’t help but think of Ronald Reagan and the time that he hitchhiked the highway now named for him. It was the fall of 1932, and…
The classroom was so packed that there was barely standing room. It was so popular that students not enrolled in the course and even enrolled in other schools came to hear it: the final lecture in the basic course on…
Last week, the Speaker of the Ohio House was arrested in a $60 million federal bribery case involving bailout money for the state’s two nuclear power plants. Speaker Larry Householder (R) received the money through anonymous donations over the past…
East Moline, Illinois We were drinking outside St. Giuseppe’s Heavenly Pizza when we heard the gunshots. Five of them, in rapid succession, about four blocks away. I was armed only with a cigarette, but Joe Schilling was packing real heat…
A new Illinois law requires Illinois schools to teach kids of all ages about the contributions of the LGBTQ community, the Chicago Tribune reported last month. Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker signed the Inclusive Curriculum Law August 9; it mandates that…
States are telling bond investors that the increasing trade wars stirred up by President Trump’s tariffs could have negative impacts on their financial bottom lines. In documents outlining recent bond sales, Illinois and Washington cautioned investors about the impact of…
Springfield lawmakers are crowing in self-congratulations over the passage of the state’s first budget in two years. The budget leaves unpaid a $6 billion stack of bills and does absolutely nothing to address the $130 billion in unfunded pension obligations….
Despite all of the world’s information available at the tip of their fingertips, taxpayers are still completely in the dark about the sorry state of Illinois’ finances. Overdue bills are rapidly accruing due to processing delays and a lack in…
Last Thursday, Illinois State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss announced Chicago Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa as his running mate for the state’s highest office. The selection by the 40-year-old Democrat was perceived as a bold move to solidify his Progressive…
This Fourth of July, Americans have a special reason to celebrate the spirit of liberty and independence. With fireworks bursting in air and American flags flying and our neighborhoods dressed out in festive red, white and blue, we proudly mark…