Randy Blaser

Evanston Public Library Director Karen Danczak Lyons said the system's late fee collection has been cut nearly in half since an automatic renewal was instituted, and that's OK with officials.

Column: Some suburban libraries are eliminating late fees. That’s great news for readers.

October 31, 2019 at 8:25 p.m.

Have you ever forgotten about a library book that you checked out? If you have, then you know the sheer terror every time you pass the library, not knowing if...

View of Oak Park from the Harlem Avenue Metra station.

Column: An Oak Park trustee is under fire for a heated exchange over a diversity statement. Let’s cool down and take a step back.

October 24, 2019 at 10:01 p.m.

One never knows how technology is going to end up being used. YouTube was created as a great way for regular people to create or upload video and share it...

Highland Park Public Library is pictured in the 2017 file photo.

Column: Pondering life’s deep questions leads me back to the books I read in school

October 18, 2019 at 7:40 p.m.

The essential question is this: Is it nature or nurture? Is man evil by nature? Or, is man basically good and it is the horror of the world that has...

Students at Wilmette Junior High School participate in a lesson on media literacy on Oct. 1, 2019.

Column: In today’s political climate, teaching kids civics and news literacy is vital

October 11, 2019 at 4:15 p.m.

One of the more frightening aspects of working in journalism for more than 25 years was realizing how few Americans, and I'm talking about really bright, successful, college-educated and aware...

Lincoln Elementary School in Evanston, Ill. has decided to end all Halloween related activities during the school day due to equity reasons and instead have a "fall celebration."

Column: An Evanston school wants to keep Halloween out of the classroom. How does that result in equity and inclusion?

October 4, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.

Halloween has become one of America's great traditions. It's a day to have all-around fun with friends and family. In a sign of the holiday's increasing popularity over the last...

The Secretariat race begins Aug. 10, 2019 at the 37th running of the Arlington Million at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights.

Column: Arlington Racecourse doesn’t want casino gambling. The state should back off.

September 27, 2019 at 5:55 p.m.

Is the Illinois Racing Board taking business lessons from the film "Goodfellas?" In that world of organized crime chronicled so brilliantly by director Martin Scorsese, actor Ray Liotta portrays mobster...

The main entrance to the Liberty Theater is pictured Sept. 16 in downtown Libertyville.

Column: An old theater can be worth preserving — if you have an eye toward the future

September 20, 2019 at 8:36 p.m.

"Old" doesn't necessarily mean "historic." And rundown or unprofitable doesn't always mean a structure should be demolished. Residents in Libertyville are debating that topic right now, where the longtime owners...

A woman wipes away tears as she stands next to the north pool prior to a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial on Sept. 11, 2019, in New York.

Column: Remembering Sept. 11 and all that came after

September 13, 2019 at 4:45 p.m.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I was in my car on the Tri-State, admiring a brilliant blue sky on a perfect end-of-summer day on my way to the...

A recent study found Illinois high school football is struggling to attract athletes.

Column: Participation in high school football is declining. I’m surprised it’s not happening faster.

September 5, 2019 at 4:35 p.m.

When I first heard about CTE and brain injuries in football players, I wondered if high school football could survive. CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is an injury to the...

In this July 22, 2019 file photo, a sign advertises state route 375 as the Extraterrestrial Highway, in Crystal Springs, Nev., on the way to Nevada Test and Training Range near Area 51.

Column: People love to share photos of everything on social media. So, where are the UFOs?

August 30, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

I don't know why the opening sentence struck me so, but I think about the first sentence of a short story a fellow student shared during a college creative writing...

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