Columnist

Pritzker could have done the responsible thing to balance the budget

Published by admin on Sun, 12/20/2020 - 12:18pm

"What if" games are never quite accurate, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that Gov. JB Pritzker had the opportunity and most probably the votes to balance the state budget with an income tax hike during 2019, his "honeymoon" year with the General Assembly.
Instead, the governor came into office and proposed what was essentially a pension payment holiday and other magic budgetary solutions.

Escape holiday stress with a tropical drink in December

Published by admin on Tue, 12/15/2020 - 10:02am

It's the most wonderful time of the year! For holiday cheer? Decorations? Letters to Santa? All of those things are wonderful, but there is one thing that home tiki bar enthusiasts look forward to each December: the arrival of white grapefruit in local supermarkets.
Some drinks simply must have white grapefruit as opposed to the more popular ruby red variety, and this week we will mix up one of the all-time greats. I'm talking about the curiously strong sweet and sour tiki staple, the Navy Grog.

Brace yourself for wild Braceville

Published by admin on Tue, 12/15/2020 - 9:57am

Take a ride south on old US 66 and in a short time you will find yourself in Braceville. It’s pretty quiet down there, but once there was a time when the joint was jumpin’. Today we look at the earliest history of that tiny coal town.
Braceville boasts a longer history than Braidwood. Between 1854 and 1856 the population of Braceville Township exploded. These were mainly farmers coming into the eastern portion of the township where the soil was good for corn.

The most temperate town in the Northwest

Published by admin on Tue, 12/15/2020 - 9:47am

The use of the word “temperate” in this case, does not refer to the temperature, but rather to the amount of alcohol consumed by the populace. In this case the town referred to is Jackson Township and the time is mid-19th century.

Madigan still the fixer king who gets things done

Published by admin on Sat, 12/12/2020 - 11:54am

Outsiders may not get it, but it makes some sense that the majority of House Democrats still back House Speaker Michael Madigan's reelection.
He's been a genius at getting things done for his caucus. He is loyal to his people and has infinitely more institutional memory and can pull more strings and push more buttons than anyone alive.
In his nearly 50 years in office, Madigan has been heavily involved with four legislative remap processes and has been in the House for five of them.

Toast to the end of 2020 with a champagne cocktail

Published by admin on Tue, 12/08/2020 - 10:30am

We are only weeks away from the end of a year that none of us, in a million years, would ever sign up for. I'm sure many of us will mark the occasion with a socially distanced champagne toast, so this week I will share a few champagne tips and while we're talking champagne, we will pour a few classic champagne cocktails.

Christmas in Prosperity, 1875

Published by admin on Tue, 12/08/2020 - 10:26am

It's December 1875, and things are looking good despite the bank failure in 1871, when Wilmington citizens and businesses lost half a million dollars. The Kankakee Company had completed its improvements all the way to Altorf, and shipping on the Kankakee had been brisk for four years.

Bits and pieces, the strange and the odd

Published by admin on Tue, 12/08/2020 - 10:20am

In going through the old newspapers to research this column, I occasionally come across small bits and pieces of information that make me stop and think, or sometimes laugh out loud. These small slices of life give us another look into Braidwood in the 19th century.

Opposing Madigan may become a career-ending move

Published by admin on Sun, 12/06/2020 - 2:09pm

Illinois House Democratic Caucus Chair Kathleen Willis (D-Addison) told me last week that her decision to oppose Speaker Michael Madigan's reelection was a process that she's been struggling with since the summer.
Willis became the 19th House Democrat to declare opposition to Madigan, putting him six votes shy of the 60 he needs to win.
"Over the last couple of weeks, it's been getting more and more troubling," Willis said. It boiled down to "an ethical decision, a moral decision," she said.

December 1880, money and merriment

Published by admin on Tue, 12/01/2020 - 1:19pm

Winter in a coal mining community is usually a prosperous time. And December is the best time of all. Parties, balls, concerts, plays, oyster suppers – you name it and it was happening. Get aboard the wayback machine, set the controls for December 1880.