Being a father is not easy; it takes sacrifice, which means playing an essential role in a child’s life by being there for them and loving them unconditionally.

Summer has started at the library!  Programming begins the first week of June and extends through mid-August.  We are looking forward to a wonderful summer.

Communication technology is among the four main branches of technology including energy, production and transportation. Communication technology is humans using tools, machines, knowledge and resources to control the environment by sending and receiving messages.

Electric vehicles (EVs) appear to be the next big bust. Cost, lack of charging stations, limited range, maintenance, etc., all weigh into the significant lack of EV sales at dealers.

One of the most identified concerns of Americans this year is the state of our economy.  But is this really true when talking about the economy as a whole?  The markets have risen with Biden as they did with Trump, however not at the same rate. Remember, however, Biden’s term is not over yet.

It is well known that Illinois is facing educator shortages, and these shortages are inequitable. Districts that serve higher percentages of English-language learners, students with individualized education programs, students from low-income households, and students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic populations are more likely to have shortages.

Planters continue to roll out in the fields as we near the completion of spring planting. Weather forecasts through the summer continue to predict warmer-than-normal temperatures for the Corn Belt with near normal precipitation. Should that occur as predicted it should be a relatively-good growing year. Of course, we never know until Fall harvest kicks-in.

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11). A line from the bible which means different things to different people. To Reverend Otto Linnemeier the sheep were his flock at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Rochelle. Was Otto expected to “lay down his life” literally? No. He was to devote his life to ensuring that his congregation had the tools to survive as Christians in a confusing world. 

Illinois faces a critical shortage of teachers equipped to work with English learners. According to the 2023-2024 educator shortage report, Bilingual/ESL and Bilingual Special Education teachers all had vacancy rates above the state average. Indeed, more than 420 positions were unfilled, with 230 filled by other means such as hiring substitutes or retired teachers and increasing class sizes.

In schools across the area graduates will be parading across stages dressed in their gowns, hats and tassels receiving their diplomas recognizing them for a job well done. It will be the culmination of years of learning and hopefully they will understand that life outside of the structure of school will continue to teach life lessons.

Substance use disorders and mental health problems impact countless veterans in our local communities. Without adequate treatment or support, these issues spiral quickly out of control. Unfortunately, too many veterans never receive help. 

Planting season continues at a robust pace as farmers across the area try to hit those optimum planting dates. As for me I failed in that regard this year.

My last article covered pregnancy rates and why new laws, in many states, have been enacted to control women and their pregnancies.  That article was written with women in mind. I promised, however, that I would write this next one with men in mind.  Now I keep that promise.

With the Illinois Legislature ready to end its spring legislative session soon, our health care facilities are dialing 911 to save the 340B program that provides prescription drug and other benefits for patients who have nowhere else to turn.

 The Illinois Education Association would like to thank the Illinois Association of Regional School Superintendents for its work the past seven years on the Educator Shortage survey.

I was like a lot of people who was aware of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy but never really thought much about it until about three years ago when my son, Mason, was diagnosed with the disease.

Drive through any community in Illinois and you’re sure to see the orange cones and blinking lights of a road construction zone. You might also see crews building a new restaurant, bank, or gas station. And in many communities, you’ll see the cranes and earthmovers building a new manufacturing facility, data center, or electric vehicle assembly plant. But even amid all this construction, it’s less common, rare even, to spot a new home or subdivision being built.

We Americans are practical. We cast a suspicious eye on theories. We rely on common sense — self-evident ideas that nearly everyone shares.

The USDA released the first insights into net farm income expectations for 2024. The report anticipates a decrease from 2023’s forecast of $155 billion to $116 billion – a drop of nearly $40 billion, or 25.5%, and the largest recorded year-to-year dollar decrease in net farm income.

The Flagg Rochelle Public Library District is getting ready for Summer Reading.  Our flyers will be coming out soon. The theme for Summer Reading this year is “Read, Renew, Repeat.”

The recent arrival of illegal immigrants into the United States has health officials concerned about the increase in communicable diseases.

2024 is off to a great start in Rochelle. Our team at the city is overseeing many projects and initiatives are transforming 2024 into one of our most productive years during my tenure. 

First, let’s look at some statistics.  United States pregnancy rates declined between 2010 and 2019.  They continue to decline in this current decade.  It has been a trend at least since 1991 according to the CDC.  

Last September, Illinois embarked on a trailblazing journey toward justice by enacting the Pretrial Fairness Act, making it the first state in the nation to eliminate money bail. The law's smooth and successful implementation has ensured that more people are now able to return to their communities while awaiting trial. That means more people are maintaining employment, housing and connections with loved ones, which makes us all safer. 

I have been fortunate to spend 22 years in the school human resources role.  More recently, I have also been working as the executive director of the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) representing more than 560 educational human resources professionals in Illinois. We are here to tell you: The teacher shortage is real.