Illinois native Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in the tiny village of Tampico in Whiteside County in 1911. Mr. Reagan died at the age of 93 in 2004. Reagan is most famous for being elected the 40th President of the United States and served eight years in office from 1981-1989.

When it’s your job to ensure the safety of children, failure should never be an option. Yet the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the state agency charged with protecting children, had failed spectacularly time-and-time again. The abuse, torture and subsequent murder of five-year-old Andrew “AJ” Freund at the hands of his parents stunned his community, but it was DCFS’ failure to protect AJ that shook the state.

Every year during the month of February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. Black History Month celebrates the cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities that are part of the country’s history. 

The celebration of Black History in the U.S. began in Chicago with Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian and alumnus of the University of Chicago. Woodson and four others, including A. L. Jackson and minister Jesse Moorland, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in September 1915 at the Wabash YMCA. This organization was dedicated to researching and promoting the achievements of Black Americans and other people of African descent. The group sponsored national Negro History Week in 1926. 

ESTATE TAX
McCombie and House Republicans Back Estate Tax Legislation. This week, the Illinois Farm Bureau unveiled new legislation aimed at improving the Illinois Estate Tax. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has spearheaded efforts throughout her tenure to address this problematic “death” tax, one that has disproportionately hurt family farms but also small businesses and manufacturing in Illinois. McCombie and members of her leadership team stand in support of the recently unveiled bipartisan proposal.

The 1993 hit movie ‘Groundhog Day’ starred Bill Murray and was one of the most successful films of its era, grossing nearly $71 million worldwide. The movie plot centered around a small Pennsylvania town’s Groundhog Day celebration; however, the movie was filmed in northern Illinois in the McHenry County city of Woodstock. The romance/comedy was rated PG and has a lofty score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. 

First episode streams today

There is a story behind every piece of legislation introduced in the Illinois General Assembly.  Some stories are light-hearted and some are maddening.  And others, like the horrific murders of Pam Knight and AJ Freund, are terribly tragic.  

While you may have heard about Pam Knight and AJ Freund from news accounts, truth-be-told, you haven’t heard the entire story. What’s more, you haven’t heard how lawmakers attempted to prevent future tragedies like these with thoughtful legislation. And, how the majority party blocked those same pieces of legislation, refusing to create new public safety laws. You haven’t heard, until now.

The Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) Program was launched nationally in 2003 by the American Dental Association. Every year, over 6,000 dentists and 30,000 dental team members volunteer at GKAS events to provide free oral health education, screenings, and preventative and restorative treatment to over 300,000 children. GKAS events are held nationally throughout the year, including all across Illinois. The first Friday in February, known as Give Kids a Smile Day, kicks off the program each year.