Columns
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Aside from punditry, keeping our coming primaries in perspectiveNov 13, 2025 4:00 am - Columnist Jim Slusher: There were precious few off-year elections around the country last week, but those we saw produced a bounty of analysis, punditry and political hand-wringing. Perhaps more than anything, this is a sign of the tensions governing our election politics these days.
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‘Fire over fear’ pep talk produces race of a lifetime for Barrington girls at state cross country finalsNov 12, 2025 5:46 pm - Coach Debbie Revolta’s pep talk on the eve of the Illinois High School Association cross country finals helped spur Barrington to victory.
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Sarley: Making the most of a good nicknameNov 12, 2025 4:34 pm - Sometimes you have to wonder how a nickname sticks to a person. When I was hosting “The Great Outdoors” on CLTV, I was interviewing a local legend named Ed Bohn. I introduced him as “The Godfather of Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Northern Illinois.” The nickname stuck. Everyone referred to Eddie as “The Godfather.” He was proud of the moniker.
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Bad news for Republicans, warnings for both partiesNov 12, 2025 11:19 am - Syndicated columnist Michael Barone: In the 2025 gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats performed significantly better than expected, indicating a potential backlash against the Trump Republican Party. Ironically, an adverse Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariffs could be his saving grace.
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Linger at the table: Serve up familiar flavors in new ways with twists on Thanksgiving classicsNov 12, 2025 5:55 am - Thanksgiving is all about the classics, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. These three recipes bring big flavor to the table without overcomplicating the cooking. Each one feels familiar, but with just enough of a twist to make people go back for seconds.
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Yes, you can make scratch mac and cheese with only three ingredientsNov 12, 2025 5:04 am - The trick? The macaroni cooks in gently boiling milk, creating a base for the sauce without the hassle of traditional scratch mac and cheese methods.
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Finding meaning in an accelerated, increasingly digital worldNov 12, 2025 4:00 am - Syndicated columnist Jessica A. Johnson: From continued reading on social media research on Gen Z, I often think about how different adolescence is for them than it was for me.
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Bears Film Study: This team is all about great escapesNov 11, 2025 8:39 pm - Bears Film Study takes a look at another great escape against the New York Giants, thanks to Caleb Williams’ ability to avoid trouble.
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O’Donnell: Kafka, NY Giants, Michigan, Wrigley Field – stage props surround NorthwesternNov 11, 2025 9:45 am - It’s a busy time for Northwestern University football as the program prepares for Saturday’s game vs. Michigan at Wrigley Field, writes columnist Jim O’Donnell.
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Does ChatGPT write me better than I do?Nov 11, 2025 4:00 am - Syndicated columnist Keith Raffel: