We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks

Opinion


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 718

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Mar 20, 2024

    Ever feel like you’re a burden to your team? Normally, my evenings are spent covering a sporting event throughout the region. But that all changes in the Spring when Softball and Baseball tend to end before seven o’clock at night, so I actually get to see my wife and spend some time at home. And with bad weather canceling games … we actually had time to go out and “do” something – an activity which is normally relegated to the Summer months when school is not in session. Anyway, one...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Mar 20, 2024

    Recently, I inadvertently came across an old copy of a magazine called Birds & Bloom. The magazine is all about just that – birds and blooms. The subheading under the title says “Beauty In Your Own Backyard.” As I thumbed through the magazine, the beauty of God’s creation overwhelmed me. By now, the attention to minute detail that went into all of God’s creation shouldn’t surprise me, but for reasons beyond my comprehension, it does. This magazine was a self-help guide for all bird...

  • One Man's Opinion

    Jim Sacia|Mar 20, 2024

    I say “my” FBI as for 28 years of my 30 years in law enforcement it was my home. Nothing made me prouder than being a Special Agent in the FBI. When I retired in 1997, I wrote a book about those years, “Not In My Wildest Dreams”, sharing with you the magnetism and pride of those years. Not many professions could leave someone with such deep pride. When I was hired in 1969, J. Edgar Hoover was still the Director. Yes, he ruled with an iron fist, but even after his passing in 1972 and...

  • Your Voices

    Mar 20, 2024

    Dan, Another great article on your part. I really enjoyed seeing that you take your work seriously to report the truth. Not so everywhere as we know. My wife and I are so happy that we dropped the Journal Standard for your paper years ago. As for updates on the Parks in Freeport, we are almost done with the remodeling job at the Park Hills Club house. We will have 3 music events out there this summer. Is that something I can provide you later in the year to post in the paper as a public notice event? They are free to attend. We are working on...

  • From The Desk Down State

    Andrew Chesney|Mar 20, 2024

    As a public official, I have always fought to lower taxes for my constituents. From my time on the Freeport City Council to my tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives to my current role as the State Senator for the 45th District in Northwest Illinois, lightening the tax burden for Illinoisans has always been a focal point of my legislative agenda. When Governor JB Pritzker recently announced he wanted to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries, I was surprised, but also encouraged....

  • Your Voices

    Mar 13, 2024

    Editor; I am endorsing Mike Dittmar for the District #13 Representative on the Jo Daviess County Board. Mike and I both have roots in Elizabeth. Our hometown has a healthy small business environment, an agricultural foundation, excellent schools and time-honored places of worship. I have interacted with Mike in each of these arenas. I share his commitment to ensuring our village—our County—is a place that people are proud of; a place that people live and prosper and stay; a place that people want to visit—repeatedly! Over the past 10...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Mar 13, 2024

    Farm kids are in high demand when they grow up and go out into the working world. The obvious reason is because most of them know how to work. Early mornings, late nights, and all the hours in-between teach a person a lot. The responsibility of taking care of animals carries much responsibility. The lessons learned involving the farm animals makes the reality of life and death very real. When a mamma cow dies after giving birth - the ultimate sacrifice - it makes one realize the value of life....

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Mar 13, 2024

    By the time you read this, my wife and I will be in Arizona for Spring Training Baseball. I’ve never been to Spring Training, so when our daughter Caitlin asked because they were going to go out – it was more than tempting. My wife has also never seen the Grand Canyon in person, so that is on the schedule as well – and all of us will be staying at an Air-B-n-B – another thing I’ve never done, so it will be a trip of firsts. But the big attraction for me, aside from warm weather and the...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Mar 6, 2024

    I lost my man card last week … again. My wife and I make for an interesting pairing – in fact, you could almost say that quite often our roles are reversed. When we go out to dinner, and order a Diet Coke with fried shrimp, and a ribeye steak with a beer – the runner bringing us the food almost always gets it backwards – handing me the steak and beer, and my wife the shrimp and pop. Well, when it comes to doing odd jobs around the house, which is usually a “guy” thing – she takes...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Mar 6, 2024

    A few years ago, I was interested in purchasing a vintage pickup. There was one in town that I drove by several times a week. It was a 1946 Dodge with the double front grill. It sat in a lean-to beside an old, weathered barn. It had been neglected for so long that a tree had grown up through the front bumper and all four tires were flat. One day I stopped at the house to inquire on the truck’s status. An elderly gentleman and his spaniel/collie mix met me at the door. I stated my business and...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Feb 28, 2024

    This has been quite the winter so far. We had lots of snow to start out, the ground beneath the snow never did freeze. While moving it along the edges of the lawn and the driveway I ended up accidentally making huge divots in the yard. When the snow melted, I put them back in place. The snow melt did not cause flooding, it all soaked into the ground. Somebody told me the other day that this February was almost exactly the same as February 2012. His point was: expect a drought. But I say,...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Feb 28, 2024

    The NCAA is getting close to announcing their tournament field, and the weather has been downright balmy to the point where my thoughts have already turned to the baseball season. And while I know my beloved Cubs fell into the toilet at the end of the season when they looked like a lock to make the post season, I have to admit … I’m looking forward to this year. I admit it, I’ve got baseball on the brain – Major League Baseball. I even joined an ESPN Fantasy Baseball league and am...

  • Valentines For Seniors

    Andrew Chesney|Feb 28, 2024

    My office recently completed its first annual Valentines for Seniors program, and the response from the community exceeded all expectations. Between February 14th and 15th, my staff and I delivered over 2,300 valentines to 30 different nursing homes and assisted living, rehabilitation, and memory care centers in the seven-county region that makes up the 45th Senate District. The smiles on the seniors' faces were priceless, and it was evident they felt appreciated and valued. Cards were made by...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Feb 21, 2024

    Both of my parents are from large families as are most of my aunts and uncles. I am also am from a large family. There was never a shortage of cousins in my childhood and we always had lots of fun – especially when they came to the farm for a few days. My brothers and I were normally fairly well-behaved, but when our cousins were around we always managed to get into a lot of trouble. Dad would have to “take us aside” and remind us that just because our cousins were there, that did not...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Feb 21, 2024

    I don't normally use my column as an advertising tool, so let me start by apologizing – but if you do read this, I think you'd agree there was a legitimate reason for it. (Unless you're a weird cat lady who hates dogs ... but I digress) Anyway, many people know our dog Bucky. He has played the role of Max the dog with the antler tied to his head as he walks with the Grinch in the last four Lena Christmas Parades, and the photo I am putting with this column was of him last summer walking in the...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Feb 14, 2024

    When my son was still in high school, he and I set out to restore a 70 year old tractor. This tractor was manufactured during the World War II years and had been neglected for about 40 when we got our hands on it. Well, we stripped the thing down to nothing more than a pile of parts with labels, organized an inventory of what we needed, took the engine to the machine shop to get it rebuilt, and that’s when we got a little distracted. What happened was, shortly after we started working on the...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Feb 14, 2024

    “And you wonder why I don’t worry about the butter.” Now, that phrase may not mean much to you, but in my house it has become a simple comment that sums up the marriage my wife and I enjoy. You see, on most things, I am really pretty easy-going. I just don’t get too riled up over the daily trials and tribulations we see on a regular basis. “My car won’t start!” “Go ahead and use mine.” “The dog is acting funny.” “I think he ate a slipper, he’ll be fine after he poops...

  • From The Senate Seat

    Andrew Chesney|Feb 14, 2024

    The same Chicago Democrat who brought us the SAFE-T Act (House Bill 3653) has filed new legislation that would further threaten public safety and impede law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe. As you may recall, the so-called SAFE-T Act was pushed through in the middle of the night when fewer eyes were following the legislature’s action. As I have stated many times, this law does nothing to improve safety in our communities. It heaped a slew of new mandates on police officers...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Feb 7, 2024

    Several years ago, I read a book authored by a man named David Hansen, titled The Art of Pastoring. The story-line in the book is his day to day routine as he pastored two rural churches in Montana. The theme he threads through each chapter is how to be a parable of Jesus Christ every day. One particular pastime this pastor enjoyed was trout fishing when he had a day off. He would travel up into the mountains and walk a mile or so into the back country to his favorite fishing spot and throw his...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Feb 7, 2024

    Undoubtedly, the best comment about food that tastes bad came from George W. Bush when he said,” I don’t like broccoli, I’ve never liked broccoli, I’m President of the United States and I don’t have to eat broccoli ever again!” It was direct, to the point, and carried a ton of weight behind hit. Unfortunately, I’ve never held that kind of power - although I have uttered many comments about the food people have tried to force down my throat. My first one as a kid, or so I have been...

  • Farm Bureau Beat

    Victoria Hansen|Feb 7, 2024

    San Francisco 49ers or Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City Chiefs and San Fransico 49ers. This is a question on many people’s minds as we move into the weekend of the “Big Game”. No matter which team you are rooting for it’s hard to deny the important role that farmers and agriculture play in this weekends’ festivities. Let us imagine a game without agriculture. That would include no tickets as tickets are printed on paper from trees and often use soy ink from soybeans. Some paper is even...

  • Your Voices

    Jan 31, 2024

    Dan, Your article in yesterday’s paper about the Freeport City Council was one of your finest works since I have been a subscriber. I totally agree with your analysis of the names mentioned. Being on the Freeport Park Board I like how our board is run. And yes, I read my packet when I get it and again review it before the meeting. Also, side note, I was asked to run for city council in my ward. George Yarzak, Park commissioner. Freeport...

  • Preacher's Piece

    Kevin Cernak|Jan 31, 2024

    Many years ago, my wife and I were driving through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It was at night and a winter blizzard had blown in. We were on the switchbacks, winding our way down the mountain. At times the road was clear and we could see well. At other times, the falling snow was so heavy and thick and blowing, it was a total black out behind the wheel – like someone had thrown a blanket over the windshield. During those times, we were just guessing at where the road was. Off to our...

  • Point To Ponder

    Dan Stevens|Jan 31, 2024

    Growing up in Indiana, it was almost a requirement that you loved basketball. Now, I’ve never gotten into the pros. Our artist Thomas is a huge Bulls fan and knows the NBA like I know the NFL, but that was never my cup of tea. For me, I always preferred the college hoops. You could play zone defense, the stall used to be a part of the game, and there was just a lot more strategy involved and players weren’t going through the motions for a paycheck. Anyway, back in 1976, when I was only 13,...

  • Farm Bureau Beat

    Victoria Hansen|Jan 31, 2024

    In less than ten weeks, the Stephenson County Farm Bureau Young Leader’s Committee will host the 7th Annual Bruce Johnson Memorial Farm to Farm 5K/10K Race on April 6, 2024. All proceeds from this event will go to supporting Agriculture in the Classroom efforts in Stephenson County. Entry fee includes race shirt, refreshments, prizes, finisher medals and a swag bag. Shirts and finisher medals cannot be guaranteed after March 22, 2024. The out-and-back course starts and ends at Kent Farms...

Page Down

Rendered 03/18/2024 22:42