“Demon rum” is alive and well. Though Prohibition ended in 1933, still we persist in viewing alcohol not as something that can add a small pleasure to everyday life but as something inherently evil.

A pot holder too close to a lit burner or a space heater left on overnight could be all it takes to start a home fire. In fact, cooking and heating are among the leading causes of home fires in the U.S., according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association.

Four years have past and it’s time again to listen, educate yourself, and vote in an upcoming election on Tuesday, Nov. 4. This year should be exciting considering we have Barack Obama running to be the first African-American president and Sarah Palin running to be the first female vice president.

Mayor Tom Marcucci is in his City Hall office until 10 on most weekday mornings, and anyone can make an appointment to see him. I thought it was time for me to do just that in view of the fact that this term will be his last.

Munich’s Oktoberfest is the time to eat, drink and be merry. For Roselle’s American Legion Post 1084, 344 Maple Ave., October is also a time for joyous meals, though there’s a menu variation.

Chris Britt's editorial cartoon for Friday, Oct. 3.

A few weeks ago, during morning services at the Church of the Living God, Bishop Leroy Smith mentioned something about felons not having the right to vote.

America's current economic distress, and the inability of Congress so far to confront it, are what happens when the citizens in a democracy lose faith in their leaders.

Gas prices set an all-time record, the economy tanked and Americans began to worry if their nest eggs would crack under the weight of a struggling financial system.

There is a new flavor in downtown La Grange. Recently named Executive Chef at Café 36 Bernard Smith, a.k.a. Chef Barney, brings a distinct flair to the familiar but fresh Calendar Court restaurant.

Librarian Janice Fisher watched in horror as the water from the DesPlaines River in Riverside rose higher and higher, up the steep banks that rise behind the library. The late summer weather had been beautiful in our villages. Down in Texas, Hurricane Ike was flooding the entire state. We felt empathy for those poor, faraway Texans. But, Sept. 12 to 14 was upon us, and our pity for the Texans waned. We learned to pity ourselves.

Flipping through a magazine today in a waiting room, I came across a quote attributed to writer William Saroyan who supposedly said as he was dying, “I never thought this would happen to me.” I’ve been saying that myself a lot lately. Somehow, I thought I would be exempt from the whole aging process.

Chris Britt's editorial cartoon for Thursday, Oct. 2.

In a conference call Tuesday with the Rockford Register Star Editorial Board, Sen. Dick Durbin kept using medical terms to refer to the financial mess the country is in and the rescue package pending in Congress. The analogy is good. The sooner the American people understand how sick the economy is — and how much life support is needed — the better.

Four years ago, a Jewish menorah was put on display in the rotunda of the state Capitol. This year, plans call for a nativity scene in the Capitol.