R-T Columns
Bass Fishing | Planet Ryan
What’s better than a boat, a body of water, your favorite beverage and a fishing rod and reel in hand? As summer approaches and the days become longer, sitting out…
Read MoreLast Day of School | Mark’s Remarks
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: Nobody knows what it’s like to be teacher, especially at the end of the year. I have had well-educated, upstanding…
Read MoreEscape Artist, Part 2 | Mark’s Remarks
A few years back, I wrote to you about my baby daughter and how she had her daddy wrapped around her finger. I wrote about how she often got me…
Read MoreLocal Food Review | Gallagher’s Fried Chicken
by Natalie Schweiger Being able to say you’ve enjoyed a Southern Style Dinner should be a requirement for anyone claiming to be American. This is the kind of meal that…
Read MoreVeterans Corner | Rick Schilling
Illinois Joining Forces is a joint Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Department of Military Affairs effort designed to better serve veterans, service members and their families throughout the state. IJF…
Read MoreThe Buffoon Father: A Continuing Saga | Mark’s Remarks
You know if you read this column regularly that I am constantly griping about how men, especially fathers, have been pushed back or even pushed out of the picture. This…
Read MoreHero Worship, Hard Falls, Life Lessons | Mark’s Remarks
Lately we’ve been hearing about a whole bunch of people messing up. Folks we have admired have had their darker sides exposed. We hear about Bill Cosby, Brian Williams and…
Read MoreTime to Grow | Planet Ryan
A few years ago, I told you about a raised garden I created in a relatively small space behind my apartment building, in which I grew tomatoes and peppers. My…
Read MoreLocal Food Review | J.Fires’ Market Bistro
by Natalie Schweiger It is a wonderful thing to witness how food and culture can bring people together. Every society has an array of cuisine and cooking methods special to…
Read MoreWorst Parents in the World | Mark’s Remarks
Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about how we sometimes ignore and diminish our kids’ aches and pains? Remember when I told you that we had little sympathy…
Read MoreLoyal Fans | Planet Ryan
How about those Redbirds, eh? What an exhilarating way to fire up the baseball season with a solid win over the Cubs in one of baseball’s oldest rivalries. The Blues…
Read MoreWellness Visits and Mileage | Mark’s Remarks
Never did I think I’d be comparing myself to an automobile. I’ve been sitting here thinking about car repairs and my own health; the correlation continues to intrigue me. So…
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