Category Archives: Opinion

By Mike Matejka February is traditionally Black History Month, which is an opportunity to reflect not only on the historic contributions of African-Americans, and also a chance to not only see how far...

By Jim FisherI live in the country on a small farm so wildlife is a common and sometimes a nuisance phenomenon. I have had all sorts of wildlife in my laundry room over the years: from hatching the eg...

By Arlene HoseaMy parents and grandparents planted the seeds of sharing and giving to others at an early age. Although at times we did not have much, we were taught that what we did have may be more t...

By Dan Irvin I'm not saying the Iowa caucuses are meaningless. I will remind you that Mike Huckabee "won" - you can't see but I'm doing air quotes around the word "won" - Mike Huckabee won there in 20...

(Joe Ragusa/WJBC)By Ron UlmerGovernments in McLean County need to overhaul their hiring process to cost effectively hire the best fit and qualified candidates. The recent costly government hiring fias...

(Photo Courtesy of Kathy Michael/Facebook) By Mary Kay Scharf A few weeks ago, McLean County lost a true gem with the passing of Jay Smithson of Ellsworth. Jay contributed significantly to our communi...

(Photo courtesy Flickr/Matt Wade) By Mike Matejka As the polls jostle daily for the Iowa Presidential caucuses, it's always a good reminder to note this is not a horse race, but a process to elect a n...

(Photo courtesy Flickr/planetc1)By Dale AveryWhat does the National Anthem mean to you?I have to admit, one of my favorite songs to listen to is the National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. You migh...

By Scott McCoy My father taught me many lessons that helped carve the path of my life. He raised me to have faith in God. He taught me to always use the right tool for a job - and that my body is rare...

(Photo courtesy Facebook/ChicagoStateUniversity) By David Stanczak The Chicago State Cougars' usual function is to provide annual tune-ups for the University of Illinois basketball team. Today, CSU is...