By DEBRA RAWLINGSFor Rantoul Press"Old enough to fight, old enough to vote."The idea that 18-year-old boys who were old enough to be drafted should be old enough to vote for the people who sent them to war first surfaced during World War II.
By MARK GRANTFor Rantoul PressThe big push early in the 101st General Assembly is to nearly double Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 per hour by 2025. Raising it 80 percent over six years will have serious negative consequences for small businesses and their workers.
Attention, budding writers: Have you always wanted to see your name in print and online as author?Now’s your chance. Rantoul Press is looking for a columnist or two, whose writings will appear on this page.
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul PressGood people throughout our community are needed to step up and serve on our Rantoul City Schools (RCS) school board.
By FREDDIE L. THOMASFor Rantoul PressAs far as local issues, the most important question facing Rantoul is on the ballot and reads, “Shall the village be divided into six districts with one trustee elected from each district?”A “yes” vote gives Rantoul the chance for positive change.
By CHUCK SMITHFor Rantoul PressLast week in the Rantoul Press, Wendell Golston attempted to connect the Rantoul Tomorrow initiative to the political referendum titled “six-trustee district.”This referendum will be on the Nov. 6 ballot. Before you make your decision on this referendum, please…
By KENNETH BUTLERFor Rantoul PressI read your article (what a joke) about the water drainage program since 2000 that Rantoul paid a lot of money to install a retention pond off Maplewood.
By MICHAEL SCHLOSSERFor Rantoul PressIn response to Jim Cheek’s letter to the editor on Aug. 14, 2018, titled “Voters will decide our fate,” it is true that voters have always determined the board make-up. This is not what needs fixed within our democratic society.
By DEBBRA SWEATFor Rantoul PressToday, blacks still encounter roadblocks from going to the polls. Historically, voter suppression tactics used were poll taxes, literacy tests, threats, fear and intimidation.
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul Press
By JIM CHEEKFor Rantoul Press“Voters to have say on board make-up” read the headlines on last week’s Rantoul Press. Is that a new concept? Isn’t it the voter who has always determined the board make-up?
By ANDREW JOHNSONFor Rantoul PressIt isn’t that easy to drop everything in the middle of the week and fly to Washington. If you’re a community newspaper publisher, going anywhere in the middle of the week is a challenge. That is when the newspaper has to be edited, wrapped up in color, print…
By BRETT ROWLANDFor Rantoul PressIllinois has the worst credit rating in the nation due in large part to its massive unfunded pension liabilities, but even modest reforms to the state’s biggest problem are no match for election-year politics.
By RICHARD GUEBERT JR.For Rantoul PressTo say we’re between a rock and hard place this year is an understatement.
By MIKE RUNYONFor Rantoul PressMayor Charles Smith,When I approached you regarding the opening on the board of trustees, I expressed to you my desire to work together with the current board of trustees and staff members to bring about positive and necessary change to move the village of Rant…
When I first read about the idea to switch Rantoul village government from at-large representation to aldermanic representation, my response was neutral.
By MICHAEL SCHLOSSERFor Rantoul Press
By RICK SNIDERFor Rantoul Press
By DEBBRA SWEATFor Rantoul Press
By AUSTIN BERGFor Rantoul Press
By WENDELL POTTERFor Rantoul PressOne of the selling points for the tax bill President Trump signed into law a few weeks ago is that it will spur job growth because corporations will use money they otherwise would have paid in taxes to hire more workers.
By DAVID FULTONFor Rantoul PressThe color of a caterpillar, squirrels hoarding early in the summer, the higher in the tree a hornet’s nest — the higher the snow fall, abundance of acorns, overly fat skunks are all folklore predictors of the coming winter. Predicting the weather can be tricky…
By DAVID PETERSFor Rantoul Press
By LYNN PODOLLFor Rantoul PressThanks to the Rantoul Township High School Music Department and Matthew Chesner, the band director, for the delightful evening we enjoyed with them on Oct. 25 at their fall pops concert.
By CHRIS KRUGIllinois News NetworkLet’s talk about time, if only for a moment so as not to waste too much of yours.
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul PressPrevious articles and guest commentaries in the Press have detailed how village trustee Chad Smith purchased two vacant lots on Quinlan Place for $25,000 to build a 5,000-square-foot house, only to discover there was a storm sewer line straddling the lots.
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul PressIn last week’s edition of the Rantoul Press, Dave Hinton reported in his article, “Village official addresses controversy,” that Village Administrator Jeff Fiegenschuh had addressed the village board over the rerouting of a storm sewer line around village tru…
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul PressAs we all know, water flows best downhill and in a straight line. Last fall it was observed the village of Rantoul was replacing a portion of storm sewer that once ran in a straight line with 163 more feet of pipes, some making 90 degree turns.
By DOUG ROKKEFor Rantoul Press
Letter writers who wish to submit an epistle regarding a candidate or issue for the April 4 election may do so right up until March 29, the final edition of the Press before the election.
By CARLA MILLAR
By DEBBRA SWEATFor Rantoul Press I am writing to express my thoughts and concerns regarding recent articles in the Rantoul Press.I have been a resident of Rantoul for almost 50 years. I have watched Rantoul flourish in some areas and diminish in others.
By LYNN PODOLLFor Rantoul PressOnce in a while a film comes along that simply cries out for a large audience. I believe “Hidden Figures,” which opened locally on Jan. 6, is one of those movies.
By ANNE WOODFor Rantoul Press
By Richard JeanFor Rantoul PressJack Anderson and the self-named “Friends of Rantoul Parks” (FRP) have gone too far. It is one thing to use half-truths and scare tactics to try and push their agenda. But now they have stooped to a new low and leveled a personal attack on a private citizen, T…
Wednesday, Oct. 26, is the final Rantoul Press edition in which statements may be made in opinion articles that require a response regarding issues and candidates in Nov. 8 election. Most likely drawing the greatest local attention is the question of whether the Rantoul Park District should …
By DYLAN MASSEYFor Rantoul PressThere has been quite a bit of back-and-forth on the issue of Brookhill Golf Course and the fate of it and the park district. Despite this back-and-forth, village citizens are probably still finding themselves not fully informed on this issue.
By JACK ANDERSONFor Rantoul Press
By MILT KELLYFor Rantoul PressIn view of the response of some to the report of our last meeting I feel I must at least make an effort to clarify my position and present an accurate portrayal of our comments at the last meeting regarding village revenue.
By AUSTIN BERGFor Rantoul PressNobody has less trust in their state government than Illinoisans.For years, Gallup polling has placed the Land of Lincoln dead last in the nation on that measure.Who can blame us?
By RICK and SUE JEAN For Rantoul PressWe are lifetime residents of Rantoul and wanted to share our thoughts on the park board and Brookhill Golf Course.We are sad to say there are fewer and fewer reasons to live in Rantoul.
This open letter in response to the letter published in The Rantoul Press June 22, but which arrived at my home in Tifton, Ga. July 2. It is written on behalf of my friends and co-workers in Rantoul.Dear Mr. Bottger,
Outgoing Rantoul Township High School senior Hunter Clifton was named Rantoul Exchange Club student of the year. She was also named Exchange district student of the year. Following is the essay that she submitted to be considered for the awards and which she read at last week’s Exchange Club…
By KELLIE WAHLFor Rantoul PressOn May 30th, 2005, former Mayor Neal Williams issued the following proclamation:To aall to whom these presents shall come:
By TONY LEEFor Rantoul PressI consider myself a conservative Republican. I’m sickened by the thought of eight more years of a liberal welfare-minded Democrat in the White House, especially if it’s Hillary Clinton.
By Jeff FIEGENSCHUH, MIKE ROYSE and REBECCA MOTLEYFor Rantoul PressIn response to the guest commentary by Dylan Massey in the 3/23/16 edition of The Rantoul Press, the village would like to acknowledge some of the truths in Mr. Massey’s argument and take the opportunity to update the communi…
By TODD WILSONFor Rantoul Press PARCC testing is right around the corner. The PARCC test is a test of reading and math that the state requires all public school districts to give.
By DYLAN MASSEYFor Rantoul PressI find it interesting (and a bit amusing) how one of Rantoul’s economic directors touts the Retail Coach as being “too good” at their job, and thus the village is choosing to “opt out” of the third year of the contract.
By JOE LARKINFor Rantoul PressIn case you haven’t noticed, there’s a revolution going on leading up to the presidential primary elections. Two candidates are shaking up their parties by presenting themselves as outsiders.
By BETTY J. KELLEYFor Rantoul PressIn the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” the emperor pretended that he not only saw his new clothes, but also that he was wearing new clothes when there were really no clothes at all.
By MILT KELLYFor Rantoul PressIn the January meeting, the Fisher Village Board was approached by an individual seeking to open a video gaming parlor on the site of the old Amoco station at the corner of Third Street and U.S. 136.