Letters to the Editor: Hey, slow down on the Christmas stuff in AugustLetters to the editor submitted to The Courier-News in Elgin. August 04, 2023
Vickroy: Readers respond to recent column on love of reading with lots of book recommendationsColumnist Donna Vickroy learned she's not alone in her love of reading, with dozens of book suggestions coming her way via email and social media. August 01, 2023
Column: ‘Sound of Freedom’ dividing while conquering at box officeThe summer's sleeper hit focusing on the problem of child sex-trafficking has drawn plenty of controversy but also a big audience. August 01, 2023
Column: Not everyone is a good sport when it comes to pickleball’s growing popularityThe game is pitting neighbor against neighbor. On one side of the net are the picklers; on the other side, those folks who live near public parks where pickleball courts are normally mobbed daily from dawn to dusk. Police have been called to hinder the racket. July 31, 2023
Vickroy: Humans need friends so why is it so hard for us to make — and keep — them?The number of close friends people report having has decreased since 1990 while the number of people saying they lack friends and are lonely has increased, studies show. July 24, 2023
Vickroy: I’ll let you in on a secret — reading is the greatest pleasure in the world, especially when you’re retiredBooks can not only transport you to new places and open your horizons, they can makes you more tolerant of other people and lifestyles, columnist Donna Vickroy says. July 17, 2023
Vickroy: Vet shortage causing big problems for animal rescues and shelters, with one facing closure because of itThere's increasing demand for animal care and not enough vets to go around, a situation that's taking a toll on local animal rescues and shelters, including one in Mokena that might need to close. June 27, 2023
Vickroy: You’re doing it because someone desperately needs you to: My words of encouragement to caregiversCaring for an elderly person in decline, especially with dementia, is a difficult, thankless job but one you need to do because your loved one needs someone in their corner. June 20, 2023
Vickroy: Getting close to nature’s a sublime experience so why is protecting it not more of a priority?There's nothing like a kayak trip at Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada to remind you how important it is to respect and protect nature, columnist Donna Vickroy says. June 13, 2023
Decent: Memorial Day means remembering those killed while serving our country, like Naperville’s Gunnar HotchkinMemorial Day is the one on which we remember those killed while serving our country because as one Naperville vet's mother said, “As long as they are remembered, they are not truly gone.” May 26, 2023
Decent: With the pandemic over, let’s not forget the lessons we’ve learned and the experiences we hadWith pandemic officially announced over, it's hard not to look back on the crazy things experienced in the three years we were caught in its grip. May 19, 2023
Vickroy: No need to seek out distant places when there’s so much to see in Illinois, author of new travel book saysWine trails, a national forest, a treehouse resort and — not one, but two — state fairs are just a few of the highlights in “100 Things To Do in Illinois Before You Die,” a newly released by Reedy Press travel books. May 16, 2023
Letters to the Editor: Kids returning the ballfields great for them — and adultsLetters to the editor submitted to The Courier-News. May 12, 2023
Vickroy: Attention would-be mass shooters: Going out in a so-called blaze of ‘glory’ not your only optionThese days it's easy to vent your problems with the world by buying a gun and wiping out innocent people, but there are other more productive ways to channel anger, disappointment and frustration, Donna Vickroy says. May 09, 2023
Decent: King Charles’ coronation may be more exciting for Americans fascinated by royalty than most staid BritsWatching the coronation of a new British king while living in America conjures up a myriad of feelings in expat columnist Hilary Decent. May 05, 2023
Elgin Mall Corp. commits to moving into East Dundee but some vendors prefer Spring Hill Mall locationElgin Mall Corp. is moving ahead with plans to move into a vacant East Dundee store but about a third of its vendors have split off from the group and plan to open in the former Carson’s anchor store at the Spring Hill Mall. May 04, 2023
Speak Out: Resident takes her hat off to Elgin police; ACT/SAT scores the most important aspect of college admissions; Robert Kennedy Jr. sounds a lot like a RepublicanSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. May 03, 2023
Speak Out: More thought put into NFL draft than into nominating a president; maybe Sox should move to Arlington Heights too; what if gun buyers had to have a psych exam for every weapon purchase?Speak Out comments submitted for publication. May 02, 2023
Vickroy: Zodiac killer — updated calendar may be scientifically accurate but it messes with your horoscopeThink you know your horoscope sign? Think again. To be accurate, there are actually 13 signs, not 12, which means you may not be who you think you are -- assuming you put any stock in the Zodiac. May 02, 2023
Speak Out: Glad to see free COVID testing coming to an end; sending man back to the moon’s a waste of money; how will Chicago protect convention delegates from downtown rioters?Speak Out comments submitted for publication.April 27, 2023
Speak Out: Tucker Carlson won’t have trouble finding new job; don’t make excuses for teens who terrorize downtown Chicago; neither Biden nor Trump a good presidential choiceSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 26, 2023
Speak Out: Forcing people to switch to reusable bags not necessary; Feinstein’s absence makes a good argument for term limits; things may being taking a turn for the worse with Brandon Johnson as Chicago mayorSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 25, 2023
Speak Out: Settling the Dominion case means Fox gets away with misleading viewers; buying or not buying a product because of a celebrity is stupid; gas stoves the least of our worries when it comes to air toxinsSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 21, 2023
Speak Out: Our freedoms are being eroded; what the public wants and legislators do two different things; two suggestions for stopping downtown Chicago crimeSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 19, 2023
Speak Out: Everyone has an opinion on Clarence Thomas and Alvin Bragg, and they’re all differentSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 17, 2023
Speak Out: Gun advocates distorting Second Amendment when it comes to assault weapons; secondhand pot smoke ignored by legislators; golfers who abandoned LGPA should be ashamedSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 14, 2023
Speak Out: Clarence Thomas demonstrates why Supreme Court jobs shouldn’t be for life; Trump treats his followers like he’s P.T. Barnum; GOP actions are like watching a slow train wreckSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 12, 2023
Speak Out: Elgin’s too fixated on downtown; just arm everybody and be done with it; we have to have ethics standards for Supreme Court justices?Speak Out comments submitted for publication. April 10, 2023
Speak Out: GOP positions could be taken from Taliban playbook; Rodgers should warm the bench if he doesn’t like Packers; Trump/DeSantis need to consider running togetherSpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 07, 2023
Speak Out: Trump indictment ensures his reelection, but it also shows his low moral character and that former presidents get special treatment, readers saySpeak Out comments submitted for publication. April 06, 2023