White America Created a Monster
It’s been said that we shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, perhaps because the deceased no longer have a chance to defend themselves. According to philosopher Matt...
Author: Michelle M. Ryan
Too Big for a Small Town
We’ve all heard helicopters flying overhead and probably don’t give them much thought. Think again. Last year, the village of Calumet Park was the focus of a la...
The (Not So) Great Calumet Park Fire
It was a nice Sunday afternoon in late September and warm enough to hang laundry outside. I was in the kitchen making chili and noticed the neighbors across the...
Aftermath of the Chicago Mayoral Election
As I recently sat at the traffic light at 119th & Ashland, a red and white “Willie Wilson for Mayor” sign was still displayed on the bridge over the I-57 fr...
Chicago Mayoral Election Also Affects Suburbs
The Chicago mayoral election is of interest (and should be) to many suburbs, especially those who are separated from the city by a mere street. We see and hear ...
Chicago Mayoral Election: 7 Down, 2 to Go
Four years ago, when Lori Lightfoot ran against Toni Preckwinkle, both women stood to make history as the first black female mayor. Between the two, I favored L...
The Not-so-Secret Playground
It was a time when my friend, Sally, and I literally crossed a line that we didn’t know existed. It was one of those things that adults knew about but kids did ...
Green Prevails in Keeping Illinois Blue
In Illinois, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker won re-election rather quickly. He got what he wanted in the primary with opposing candidate, Darren Bailey, inst...
Red Wave Dissipated as it Passed the U.S.
So, imagine yourself standing there on a shoreline with a surfboard waiting for the much-touted big red wave to arrive. It was expected to surge in the evening ...
The Opossum (Part Two)
The first time I saw an opossum was years ago when I used to drive west down 151st just off Harlem Avenue while en route to a job in Orland Park. There was road...