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Libby Meyer (pictured third from right) poses with the reporting team of the Starting Line, ano nline publication that covers politics with a liberal leaning. Next to Meyer is Managing Editor Pat Rynard (center). (Photo provided)
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN For Illinois Press Association
FORT MADISON, Iowa – Dad was a sports editor at the flagship newspaper covering Michigan State University. He’d met Mom when they were both reporters at the NewsTribune in LaSalle.
When 27-year-old Libby Meyer thinks about her childhood, let alone her college education, it’s like remembering a completely different world.
For journalists, it was.
The Meyers – Mark, Christine, Libby and her two kid sisters – moved to Lansing, Michigan, in the early 2000s after her dad landed a job in the newspaper’s features team, “back when there was such a thing,” Meyer said. He ascended to his dream job as sports editor, a role he’d fill until 2011, “when things started getting really rough, especially under Gannett Newspapers.”
What a difference 10 more years made. Libby, a 2015 graduate of Monmouth College, after working 4 years at The Hawk Eye, a traditional, down-the-middle daily in Burlington, Iowa, is now the federal reporter for Iowa Starting Line, a reputable-but-partisan Democratic-leaning online publication.
“I never really saw myself as a partisan writer,” Meyer said, adding that Starting Line’s mission is grounded in accuracy but favors the Democratic Party. “It’s been a little bit of a challenge to get out of the down-the-middle newspaper writing, Associated Press style. I have a personal point of view, but I never really had that come through in my writing.”
That said, she’s seen the writing on the wall for some time: economic hardships, politicians undercutting the Fourth Estate with claims of “fake news”, and the rise of technology that’s hamstrung many traditional shops.
So when Iowa Starting Line’s founder and managing editor, former Democratic campaign worker Pat Rynard, contacted her about a job in spring 2019, she entertained the conversation.
“I was kind of looking to branch out,” Meyer said.
She landed the job and was part of the expansion that included the hiring of four full-time reporters, just in time for the Iowa Caucus.
Meyer's sisters aren’t inclined to follow in their parents’ journalistic footsteps.
But what would they think of their prodigy writing with a slant?
“I think they really enjoy it; lucky for me, they share that political persuasion,” she said, laughing. “I think they were happy to see me simply still be in journalism. They know how hard it is to stay at a newspaper these days.”
As the general election neared its close, Meyer was marveling at how close the polls were projecting the race between Republican incumbent Sen. Joni Ernest and her Democratic challenger, Theresa Greenfield.
“I don’t think anybody thought the Ernst race would be as close as it is,” Meyer said the week leading up to the election. “It has definitely been a whirlwind. Iowa’s a pretty purple state, but we all thought Ernst was a pretty popular senator going into this race.”
They would have been right – unlike the polls. Ernst won comfortably, by about 6.5 percentage points.
What a wild ride it was to that conclusion. Meyer and her co-workers were already in high gear and getting ready to upshift toward the end of winter, with the caucus just months away.
“Around caucus time, Iowa tends to be the center of the political universe,” she said.
Then the pandemic hit. Covering the caucus usually means lots of travel, long hours and fatigue.
Suddenly, the travel element vanished.
“We went from a thousand miles a second to nothing,” Meyer said. “I missed covering events and talking to voters and getting those on-the-ground moments of the election. It’s not as much fun to be covering an election from your home. But there’s been no shortage of things to write about, and I think it makes you appreciate the events you do get to cover.”
Meyer took better to working remotely than others who have struggled to cut the cord between work and personal life.
“I feel like journalists, people nowadays put a little bit of pride behind the workaholic mentality,” she said. “I don’t want to say I don’t work hard, but when the work is done, I’m not super-focused on work. I’m always looking at Twitter and I get notifications on my phone, but if I don’t have to be actively staring at a screen in the evenings, I don’t.”
So she gets her kicks, goes to bed early, and gets up rested and raring to go.
“Me overdoing it isn’t helpful for myself or my writing,” she said.
So, what now? Meyer is hopeful her job will continue to be viable now that the most attention- grabbing election in history has come to its unceremonious close.
But again, she’s a realist.
“It’s a small business, and the expansion of the Starting Line team really just started,” Meyer said. “Hopefully we can still maintain a small team, even without an imminent election.”
Her tone is cool, as if she’s not concerned if her position should be eliminated.
Nor is her advisor from Monmouth’s student newspaper, The Courier. Duane Bonifer, the college’s associate vice president of communications and marketing, as well as president of the Kentucky Kernel Press at his alma mater, the University of Kentucky, said Meyer is well-equipped for the gig economy.
“That’s where the US economy is headed as well,” he said. “Today’s college graduates are headed to a gig economy where they’ll be asked to wear a lot of different hats and work a lot of different jobs at the same time. You’re not working 25, 30 years, and getting the gold watch and the pension anymore. That doesn’t exist anymore.”
There will, however, always be room for investigative journalists with whip-smart minds.
“She’s just a naturally curious individual,” Bonifer said, “and she can take complex information, understand it and figure out the best way to relay it to readers.”
Meyer also understands the importance of both breaking news and taking a long view.
“She does a good job figuring out whether it’s something you do in a story or a series of stories over time,” Bonifer said. “Or is it background that helps you better explain an issue?”
He said Meyer’s education at a liberal college serves her well, that programs such as Monmouth’s focus less on specialization and more on developing “the five-tool athlete.”
“When they have a liberal arts education, in a lot of ways they’re not prepared just for their first job, but they’re prepared for the last job they’ll have,” Bonifer said. “There’s still going to be a Des Moines Register of some kind, doing something. The Hawk Eye might go away.”
Bonifer said the world is wide open to Meyer.
“I’d love to see her stay covering politics, but I just think she has a lot of tools,” he said. “I could see her 10 years from now working for an investment firm, going out and reporting on an industry and giving them information on an industry. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her make a documentary on politics.”
Meyer admits she’s considered a career as a freelancer. She’s doing her research and keeping knees bent.
Who knows? Maybe she could replace Bonifer someday.
“I could definitely see myself working for a college or a university,” she said.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2025 Contact Information: Cadeala Troublefield, project manager Griffin & Strong Ph: (678) 364-2962 ext. 111 cadeala@gspclaw.com Courtney Clark, deputy project manager Griffin & Strong Ph: (404) 348-0690 ext. 113 courtney@gspclaw.com
VIRTUAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING DETAILS DATE(TENTATIVE): Wednesday, November 19, 2025 6 PM CST/7 PM EST Interested Participants Can Register Here: https://gspclaw.zoom.us/meeting/register/ytfUEAagQzqnrQE8eO8mSQ#/registration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2025 Contact Information: Kara Kienzler, associate executive director - communications Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Ph: (217) 528-9688
SPRINGFIELD — November 15 of each year is designated as School Board Members Day. The day of recognition is an occasion to build community awareness about the important role school board members play in a representative democracy by providing a local voice for community education decisions. In 2007, the Illinois House of Representatives declared November 15 as School Board Members Day in the State of Illinois. The resolution states the annual recognition is “a way to honor those citizens who devote so much of their time and energy for the education of our children.” “School board members serve as our local, volunteer education advocates striving for quality learning opportunities for every student. They take on this immense responsibility not for a paycheck, but because they are committed to their communities and the belief that every child deserves a quality education,” said IASB Executive Director Kimberly A. Small, J.D. “Our school board members wear many hats; beyond their educational leadership, they are policy-makers, contract negotiators, and budgeteers. They are also our neighbors, our friends, and our schools’ biggest fans. On November 15 –– School Board Members Day — it is our chance to say, ‘Thank You.’” IASB encourages school districts, communities, businesses, and others to thank local school board members and recognize them for their dedication to providing successful education opportunities for all students. Resources and images to recognize school board members on November 15 are available at www.iasb.com/thankaboardmember.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2025 Media Contact Illinois Principals Association Alison Maley, government and public relations director PH: 217-299-3122 alison@ilprincipals.org
SPRINGFIELD – In a direct response to the growing school leadership shortage across Illinois, the Illinois Principals Association, through its Ed Leaders Network (ELN), has teamed up with Aurora University to launch an exciting and streamlined Alternative Principal Endorsement Program. This endorsement pathway enables educators who already have five years of experience and hold a master’s degree in education to earn their Principal Endorsement in just one year – without completing an additional graduate degree. Approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and aligned with National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards, the program blends an immersive one-year internship with micro‑credentials tailored to school leadership practice. Eligible educators can earn licensure‑approved endorsement within one calendar year. This program is significantly less expensive than a full master’s degree and delivered on a fully remote platform. Participants in the program have appreciated the flexibility and experience the program provides as they enter or continue their school leadership journey. “Having already completed my master's degree, I knew I wanted to add the Principals Endorsement to my license, but I did not want to enroll in another full master's program. I was able to pull from previous leadership experience as I worked through the micro-credentials while still gaining valuable experience during my internship activities. The program is challenging but rewarding as it offers a way to reflect on previous experiences while building new skills as an educational leader."
- Jon Pieper, division head for Career & Technical Education, Physical Education, Drivers Education, and Health Education at Elk Grove High School
“The Alternative Principal Endorsement program was a great fit because everything was online, and I could work at my own pace. The flexibility allowed me to balance professional responsibilities while advancing my leadership skills. I would highly recommend this program to aspiring leaders.”
- Dr. Maribel Guerrero, director of language acquisition, Naperville CUSD 203
Dr. Ed Howerton, director of graduate education programs at Aurora University and former district administrator, shared: "Our program leans heavily into a ‘learning by doing’ framework that is extremely self-driven. It provides flexibility for professionals and ownership in the learning process. Many of our completers have moved into administrative roles sooner than if they had gone through a master’s degree program, and filling leadership voids in our schools is key to promoting student success.” Dr. Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association, also shared: “When compared to a little over a decade ago, the State of Illinois has experienced an almost 60% reduction in the number of individuals who earn their principal endorsement each year. This alternative pathway provides a rigorous, cost effective, and expedited opportunity for quality educators to demonstrate they possess the skills necessary to be effective school leaders.” Eligible candidates must hold a current Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL), possess a master’s degree in education, have completed five years of teaching or school support experience, are employed in a full‑time, permanent educational position before program start, and complete required evaluation training and principal content exams to qualify for endorsement. Currently, 81 students are enrolled at various stages of the program at Aurora University, including 30 students that began this fall semester. Twenty-four students have completed the program since its inception, with 12 individuals working in leadership positions. Aurora University Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Aurora University is committed to preparing leaders for the future of education. For a full overview of the program’s structure and registration information, visit the Alternative Principal Endorsement at https://aurora.edu/academics/graduate/principal-endorsement/index.html. Illinois Principals Association The Illinois Principals Association is a leadership organization which serves more than 6,900 educational leaders throughout the state of Illinois and whose mission is to develop, support, and advocate for innovative educational leaders. For more information about the IPA, please visit www.ilprincipals.org. Program Contacts Aurora University – Ed Howerton, director of Graduate Education Programs, ehowerton@aurora.edu, 630-844-5626 Ed Leaders Network / Illinois Principals Association – Arlin Peebles, Ed Leaders Network director, arlin.peebles@ilprincipals.org, 217-241-0598
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2025 Contact Illinois Bar Foundation Jessie Reeves, director of events & administration Ph: 312-920-4681 jreeves@illinoisbarfoundation.org
CHICAGO, November 5, 2025 - Mark D. Hassakis, a personal injury and workers' compensation attorney at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. of Mount Vernon, Illinois, was recently honored with the Illinois Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Award for Excellence on Oct. 17 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Mark D. Hassakis has the legal advocacy of Illinois victims in his blood. Born and raised in Mount Vernon, Mark followed in the footsteps of his father, Demetri, a lifelong Mount Vernon attorney, to practice law at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C, now celebrating 75 years. Mark has dedicated his professional life to helping his fellow Illinois citizens and the community at large. In addition to his exceptional career representing individuals’ needs in the areas of personal injury and workers’ compensation, professional malpractice, and general tort injury cases, Mark is a true leader with unparalleled dedication to giving back to the community. The Illinois Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Award for Excellence, the organization’s highest honor, is awarded annually to individuals whose career and personal life exemplify their ongoing commitment to the law and legal community. “The selection of Mark Hassakis for this year's Distinguished Award of Excellence reflects our belief in the principle that legal excellence and community service go hand in hand. His career demonstrates how individual attorneys can make a lasting impact not just through their practice, but through their commitment to strengthening the legal profession and ensuring access to justice for all Illinois residents.”
Lauren N. Tuckey, Tuckey Law Illinois Bar Foundation President 2025-26
Bar leadership and community impact Mark's commitment to the legal profession extends far beyond his practice. As president of the Illinois State Bar Association (2010-11), he championed juvenile justice reform, established young attorney mentorship programs, and highlighted the vital role lawyers play in strengthening their communities. His passion for juvenile justice led to the establishment of the Illinois Bar Foundation's M. Denny Hassakis Fund, which focuses on improving Illinois' juvenile justice system through public policy changes and programs supporting vulnerable youth. Mark served as president of the Illinois Bar Foundation from 2000 to 2002, during which time he was instrumental in creating the organization's signature fundraising events, including the Gala and Lawyers Rock concert. Mark has held numerous other leadership positions, including chairman of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company; president of the Jefferson County Bar Association; and board member of the Hellenic Bar Association, the Lawyers' Trust Fund of Illinois, and the Juvenile Justice Initiative. Beyond his legal work, Mark has been a driving force in Mount Vernon and Southern Illinois development. He has spearheaded projects focused on downtown development, historical building restoration, and the support of community parks and arts initiatives. Notable achievements include bringing nationally acclaimed jazz artists to teach area grade school students and commissioning an "Abraham Lincoln as a Lawyer" sculpture for the 5th Appellate Court grounds in Mount Vernon. A proud Northwestern University alumnus, Mark continues to serve as an alumni regent and member of the Northwestern University Leadership Circle since 2012, acting as an ambassador for the university. Mark's extensive community involvement includes leadership roles with the Downtown Development Corporation of Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County Historical Society, Lincoln Park Foundation, Vernon West Rotary Club (Paul Harris Fellow), and numerous other local organizations dedicated to enriching Southern Illinois. Bar Admissions