The residents of Spring Lake subdivision are currently facing what is perhaps the most serious attempt by a public body to change forever the character, feel and costs associated with living here. ...more

April 12, 2009

WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, in his first full day on the job, is announcing new rules to limit special-interest influence on the government's $700 billion financial rescue program. ...more

January 27, 2009

Make a minimum donation of $5 to the Presidential Inaugural Committee and get a shot at a ticket to the historic inauguration of Barack Obama ... or is that a minimum donation of $25? ... or maybe no donation at all? ...more

December 30, 2008

People with concerns about medical care, coverage and costs may attend a health care reform discussion at 10 a.m. today at Bloomingdale Regional Public Library. ...more

December 20, 2008

The American public, with great reservation, agreed to a $700 billion bailout to prevent a national financial catastrophe. A portion of that money has been spent, but everyone seems to be haggling over what to do with the rest of it. Most of the ideas are bad ones, and our leaders must protect the public from wasting the bailout money. ...more

November 13, 2008

After years of avoiding the task, lawmakers may have to review and vote on whether to keep special-interest sales tax exemptions on the state books. ...more

February 13, 2008

I know editorials are opinion pieces, but opinions that make it to your editorial page should have at least some remote basis in fact. What facts do you have to back your assertion that the rising number of voters registering as independents reflects dissatisfaction with the major party candidates? Surely, you don't mean there is a tide of support for independent candidates, since for all practical purposes there aren't any. Do you have surveys, polls, interviews, etc. to support your statement? Worse, you then lapse into repeating the insipid populist pabulum that we have sent so many jobs overseas that wages have not kept pace with the economy. You really should check the facts. Trade has increased over 10-fold since 1960 to nearly $3.5 trillion –– more than one fourth of our total economy. If it caused unemployment and lower living standards, we would all be on welfare by now. Instead: Real GDP more than doubled, we added 81 million jobs, real per-capita and median incomes rose by a third, inflation and unemployment fell to historically low levels. We still manufacture twice as much as China and the combination of manufacturing, mining, and agriculture as a percent of our GDP remains at near record highs. Yes, the number of people working in manufacturing is declining. The same is happening in nearly every country, including China (where the number of workers in manufacturing has fallen 10-15 percent in recent years). We are witnessing the same miracle in manufacturing today that we saw in agriculture in the mid-20th century. Fewer people making more. It doesn't mean we have more unemployment; it means we have more stuff. ...more

January 15, 2008

Area auto aficionados are being invited to participate in the inaugural Crystal Beach Special Interest Car Show. The car show will be next Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., in Live Oak Park. ...more

November 10, 2007