Columns

Chicago school board president candidates Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez and Victor Henderson participate in a forum at the Copernicus Center on Sept. 29, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

David Greising: The race for Chicago school board president is about ideas — and character

By David Greising

October 9, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

It will take savvy strategic thinking, backed by the character needed for leadership, to make...

Heidi Stevens: I wish we modeled better care for the young people who are making sense of the world right now

By Heidi Stevens

October 9, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

I hope that when we’re all writing our stories, the ones that are still being...

Far-right activist Jake Lang stands on the back of a truck displaying anti-Muslim messages during a demonstration outside the annual Palestine Fest at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Oct. 4, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

Steve Chapman: Republicans are fanning baseless fears about American Muslims

By Steve Chapman

October 8, 2026 at 10:10 a.m.

You might expect that as the memory of the 9/11 attacks and the global war...

The National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall is seen on March 28, 2025, in Washington. Trump has called for reshaping the Smithsonian into a “symbol of inspiration and American greatness.” (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Clarence Page: Trump and Vance raise puzzling question at the Smithsonian. What’s ‘improper ideology’?

By Clarence Page

April 13, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

In his executive order, Trump called for reshaping the Smithsonian into a “symbol of inspiration...

Illinois public employees rally for reform of the Tier 2 pension level at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield on Nov. 13, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

David Greising: State action on pension reform is slow. That may prove auspicious in the end.

By David Greising

April 11, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

There are signs that some of the best ideas for pensions reform in Illinois might...

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Atomflot, a service base for nuclear-powered fleet, in Murmansk, Russia, on March 27, 2025. (Sergei Karpukhin/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo)

Daniel DePetris: Vladimir Putin obstructs President Donald Trump’s best-laid plans for Ukraine

By Daniel DePetris

April 8, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Vladimir Putin’s obstructionism has led Washington’s allies in Europe to call the entire diplomatic effort...

A cyclist rides past historic buildings 3633 and 3627 N. Sheffield Ave. on April 3, 2025. The building between them at 3631 has already been razed. The buildings are being demolished to make room for an apartment building. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Edward Keegan: Wrigley Field is losing some of its magic with demolished historic buildings

By Edward Keegan

June 3, 2025 at 7:25 p.m.

Three vintage three-flats represented Wrigley Field’s history and the architecture that has made Chicago’s neighborhoods...

Clarence Page: In Wisconsin, Elon Musk turned fame and wealth into votes but not victory

By Clarence Page

April 6, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Elon Musk's defeat in Wisconsin last Tuesday night was a new sign of energy on...

Containers sit at the Port of Rotterdam on April 3, 2025, in the Netherlands. The port is the largest seaport in Europe and a key transit point for trade with the U.S. (Pierre Crom/Getty)

Elizabeth Shackelford: President Donald Trump’s tariffs will cost us

By Elizabeth Shackelford

April 3, 2025 at 12:01 p.m.

We live in a world today very unlike that of the 19th century America that...

Sen. Cory Booker shattered a record for the longest speech in Senate history with a fiery protest against President Donald Trump's "unconstitutional" actions, beginning late on March 31, 2025, and going just over 25 hours. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty-AFP)

Heidi Stevens: For those of us hungry for hope, Sen. Cory Booker’s record-breaking speech offered a glimpse

By Heidi Stevens

April 3, 2025 at 9:53 a.m.

Segregationist Strom Thurmond's senate-speech record was broken by Booker, a man whose rights he fought...

A medical assistant packs pills of mifepristone and misoprostol that will be mailed to patients in 2023. At the time, the two-drug regimen accounted for more than half of the abortions in the United States. (Jackie Molloy/The New York Times)

Steve Chapman: Crackdown on abortion providers and seekers is reminiscent of the Fugitive Slave Act

By Steve Chapman

April 2, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

The parallels between anti-abortion states cracking down on abortion seekers and providers and the slavery...

Daniel DePetris: Signalgate is distracting us from more serious issues in Yemen

By Daniel DePetris

April 1, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Americans should be scrutinizing whether an extensive U.S. strike campaign in Yemen will actually work.

Former Gov. Jim Edgar speaks during the Illinois GOP delegation breakfast at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida, before the start of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 27, 2012. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

John T. Shaw: Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar exemplifies courage, candor and stewardship

By John T. Shaw

March 31, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Jim Edgar believed in limited but effective government, but also boosted funds for early childhood...

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