Opinions

News-Gazette Editorials

Kent's disgrace sends message

Friday, July 3, 2009

A federal judge learned the hard way that the law applies to him, too.

Texas federal judge Samuel Kent, who was faced with certain removal from office after an impeachment trial, wisely gave up the fight to keep his paycheck a little bit longer.

Good news: Economy could have been worse

Friday, July 3, 2009

Our slow economy can't pick up speed if it's hobbled by paralyzing government policies.

Various experts, some political and some not, keep predicting that economic recovery is just around the corner.

State police nominee needs Senate scrutiny

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Legislators need to take a long hard look at the top leadership of the Illinois State Police.

It's been more than three months since Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn ushered the former head of the state police out the door and appointed a 29-year-old military veteran as a replacement.

Political heat can't trump test results

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the results of employment tests must be respected.

The right people in the fire department didn't pass an examination for lieutenant and captain positions, so the city didn't promote anyone.

Madoff's scheme comes to end

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

An old man who was a lifelong criminal stood at the defendant's table in a courtroom and listened as the judge sentenced him to 50 years in prison for his latest crime.

"But judge," the old man said. "I'm 82. I won't live that long."

Time to fold up 'tent city'

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The city's patience with a tent city of homeless people is understandable, but it cannot not be inexhaustible.

If the purpose of tent city, the makeshift shelter for eight homeless people in the backyard of the Catholic Worker House in Champaign, was to draw attention to a legitimate social problem, fine. Point taken.

On the road again

Monday, June 29, 2009

Even the smallest cuts go down hard, as the resurrection of Champaign's bookmobile this summer demonstrates.

It's no fun dealing with budget problems, as Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and state legislators have found.

School search went overboard

Monday, June 29, 2009

Not even school principals can defy the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. Supreme Court watchers could hardly have been surprised last week when the high court ruled that Arizona school officials went too far when they subjected a 13-year-old girl to a strip search in pursuit of ibuprofen pain medication.

More UI e-mails telling the sordid tale

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Shoes keep dropping in the controversy surrounding politicized admissions at the University of Illinois.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that University of Illinois President B. Joseph White expressed satisfaction that a special commission had been appointed to investigate its admissions process and promised full disclosure.

Richard Scanlan

Friday, June 26, 2009

University of Illinois classics professor Richard Scanlan made a name for himself with his zest for teaching and life.

Even those who hadn't taken classes taught by Richard Scanlan had heard of him. But for those who attended his lectures, Professor Scanlan, who died June 21, was not only memorable but unforgettable.

Same old, same old

Friday, June 26, 2009

The watchdog who needs a watchdog has been napping again.

His campaign disclosure report was due on Jan. 20, but Champaign County Auditor Tony Fabri didn't get around to filing the statutorily mandated document until June 15, the day the State Board of Elections was scheduled to discuss whether to issue a $25 a day fine. Given he was 145 days late, Fabri saved himself $3,625.