Opinion

For years, Illinois was known as a state that chronically underfunded services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Did you think those IQ tests we took years ago for school are now passé and irrelevant? Most experts acknowledge that the old IQ tests are not an accurate measure of many aspects of our cognitive abilities and never have been. So would you be surprised to learn that those outdated IQ tests might be…

When I was in kindergarten, my father developed rheumatic fever. As Christmas got closer, Mom looked sadder every day. She was also on the phone a lot. I didn’t see the embarrassment in her smile as she accepted canned food from our church and secondhand coats for my brothers and me.

If you looked at most of my hunting and fishing trips from the standpoint of harvesting game, you would conclude I was unsuccessful.

Yesterday I was getting the Christmas ornaments and lights out of their hiding place, deep in the recesses of our furnace room where no one goes unless they absolutely have to. And as I am pulling boxes off the shelves, I am thinking that these dark, undisturbed places would be a great breeding spot for…

When Thanksgiving is over and the refrigerator is full of foil-wrapped food, my thoughts turn to what I’ve been craving all year. It’s time to order my fruitcake.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the chaos of Walmart, determined to finally finish my Christmas shopping. Only a few carts were left; I grabbed one and braced for impact.

Butterflies here on Earth are beautiful creatures, but did you know that we also have a “butterfly” in outer space that is strangely beautiful too? I am referring to the “Butterfly Nebula” that is getting a lot of play on the internet these days. Just Google “Butterfly Nebula” and take a peak. This “butterfly” is…