A growing sense of urgency nationwide is focused on a new category of “forever chemicals” called PFAS. Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances include a group of about 5,000 manmade chemicals used in a wide variety of products from fire fighters’ foam,…
BY RAY LAHOOD Member of Congress, 18th Congressional District 1995-2009 Secretary of Transportation 2009-2013 I am writing my final column for Community Word after receiving an email from Clare Howard inviting me to comment on the passage of the much…
The absence or presence of justice can be found almost everywhere, from homeless shelters to legislatures to baseball diamonds. Baseball is probably far from your mind unless you’re a fan of Atlanta (whose World Series star was ex-Peoria Chiefs outfielder…
America is doing a “god-awful job managing diabetes,” a specialist said at a recent forum hosted by The Hill digital news company. Skyrocketing rates of diabetes in the United States are being met with “systemic inertia.” African Americans and Native…
Pope Francis’ reflections on journalism Excerpt from an address to journalists delivered by Pope Francis on Nov. 11: “Journalism does not come about by choosing a profession, but by embarking on a mission, a little like a doctor who studies…
One of the most cherished parks in central Illinois was owned for nearly 70 years by the private Forest Park Foundation under the leadership of three generations of the Rutherford family. As the foundation began to wind down operations, it…
Nitrogen and phosphorus are running off farm fields in Illinois at ever increasing rates despite millions of dollars spent on research and conservation practices designed to mitigate the problem, according to the state’s recently-released report on nutrient loss. Conventional farming…
Scott Lindley’s life work has been about forging relationships and building community. And painting. Lindley, 52, heads up “Walldogs,” a group of artists who’ve created murals throughout Illinois, from a standalone piece chronicling Elmwood’s abolitionist past to a series of…
In Illinois, the prairie state, finding prairies can be a real challenge. Over 99.99% of Illinois native prairie has been destroyed. Most prairie has been converted to agriculture. The areas that were too hilly to plough or too dry or…
The unvaccinated may not be who we think they are, according to The New York Times. In a recent analysis, The Times reported that the United States has among the world’s highest COVID-19 deaths per capita, but vaccinations are widely…
