Columns
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History, politicians, truth, untruth, lies, beliefs and balanceNov 06, 2025 4:00 am - EDITOR’S NOTE: Jim Slusher is taking some time off. The following column is a reprise of his “Letter to Readers” from Feb. 9, 2023. Probably since before Charles Pin...
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Halloween tricks in Springfield: Chicago transit bailout leaves everyone else holding the bagNov 05, 2025 5:00 am - State Sen. Don DeWitte writes that Halloween was all tricks and no treats this year in Springfield, as Democrats rammed through a costly public transit bill in the early hours of Oct. 31.
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Two events on one day: A disparity in scope, a familiarity of purposeOct 30, 2025 4:00 am - Columnist Jim Slusher: Stories about two very different museums on the same day expose the commonality between them in appealing to the heart and mind through visual arts.
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What is real message in referendums like that of Dist. 214?Oct 29, 2025 4:00 am - Guest columnist Elizabeth Bauer: It should go without saying, but apparently needs to be said, that maintaining facilities is a part of sound governance, not an “extra” to be paid for with new taxes.
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Oct 28, 2025 4:00 am - Guest columnist Lou Sandoval: Across Illinois, small business owners face tough choices every day to stay competitive in a rapidly changing economy. One of the most significant decisions many have made is to go cashless.
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Tweets, reality TV and confused excitementOct 23, 2025 3:02 pm - Columnist Jim Slusher: I wonder if you can guess which part of this phrase, which I noticed while reviewing X one day, got me to click on the link that followed: “that is not how you use an exclamation mark, kim kardashian.” That’s right. It was “exclamation mark.”
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Rewriting pain into healing: A father, a son and the journey to recoveryOct 20, 2025 4:00 am - Guest columnist : Despite the grim statistics on opioid overdose deaths, there are success stories like Jarrett's, who now helps others through his work as a recovery specialist.
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A lesson about lessons and getting outside our comfort zonesOct 16, 2025 4:00 am - Columnist Jim Slusher: I have written in the past about the many unexpected things we can learn about subjects other than what a news story is actually about. Today, I write about how unexpected lessons can form the central theme of news events themselves, and the lesson we all can take when that happens.
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Nobel Peace Prize honors personal courageOct 16, 2025 4:00 am - On Oct. 10, the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 was awarded to Venezuela reform leader Maria Corina Machado. She is truly deserving of the honor and personifies courage, posit...
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It’s time to deliver real transit reform for IllinoisOct 14, 2025 11:25 am - Guest columnist Rep. Mary Beth Canty: As a member of the Illinois General Assembly representing the Northwest suburbs, I am urging my colleagues to act for public transportation in the upcoming fall veto session.