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Matt Achenbach, 36, stands with his cows just outside Eastman. He’s concerned about the dwindling number of family-operated farms in the area. “It costs too much money to go out and buy an operation,” Achenbach said. “Your debt load is going to be so big it’s ridiculous. You almost have to inherit it. And that’s where family farms are becoming extinct, becoming corporations, everything’s just getting bigger. I’d like to see a small farm, one family operation not have to hire anyone, be able to work by itself.” Achenbach said he’ll be voting for Trump. Photo by Caroline Kubzansky.
By CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN For Illinois Press Association
It was a rich sample of blue-collar Wisconsin: farmers markets and the farms stocking them, parks, ice cream shops, gas stations, and, when COVID-19 protocols were followed, local party offices.
From Aug. 13 to 29, Caroline Kubzansky (left) left no hay bale unturned as she navigated the virus and country roads to gauge and report the political temperature in the far reaches of the swing Badger State that flipped blue in the 2020 presidential election.
The 21-year-old University of Chicago fourth-year student and managing editor of the school’s newspaper, The Maroon, insisted one thing go on the record after she recounted the surreal experience during a phone interview Dec. 15.
“I want to underline three times that I would not have done it if I didn’t think I could keep 6 feet away, outside, and do it safely,” she said.
As part of her internship with WisPolitics, she scoured Kenosha County before driving to Winnebago County (now a Covid-19 hotbed southwest of Green Bay), where she covered a Trump rally in an airport hangar. Next she covered ultra-rural white Crawford and Adams counties near Madison, before making the 7-hour journey through mostly deep-red country to Sawyer County, a traditional bellwether in the Northwoods.
“It was very lonely,” Kubzansky said. “It wasn’t, ‘Reporter settles in with the community.’ It was ‘Reporter draws a 6-foot bubble.’ I got groceries once.”
She did some door-to-door canvassing, “attempted” meeting sources at local bars, “although that’s sort of cliched,” she said, and felt her skin crawl at some places where COVID-19 protocols were not being followed.
Kubzansky was grateful to the university’s Institute of Politics for footing the AirBNB bills so she could feel safe in single-person lodging.
But she still thought critically about the trip before hitting the road.
“I seriously considered the implications and the example it set for me to be traveling under these circumstances,” she said. “I’m someone who very strongly subscribes to social distancing. So I took a gallon of hand sanitizer and stood on a lot of sidewalks 6 feet away from people.”
A mannequin models a mask at the Adams Flea Market. Photo by Caroline Kubzansky.
Kubzansky spent 3 days in Kenosha County canvassing sidewalks and searching country homes and farms for locals she could talk to safely.
“Fortunately it was summer, so a lot of people were outside in their yards,” she said. “I’d just approach them and ask if they’d be willing to talk to me about politics and bills that affect them.”
Two days after she left the county, a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back, and the national media swarmed the City of Kenosha.
“People were really eager to turn it into a political football,” Kubzansky said, with an edge in her voice. “It made me sad that so much of it was about how Kenosha would vote. I met a lot of people in the couple of days leading up to that, and I could guess how they were responding to the unrest there. Having gotten to know a lot of people pretty closely, I was really sad to see this happening, knowing they were really freaked out.”
Her report on the state of the county includes a half-dozen sources from various walks of life and political leanings, from the chairs of the county’s parties to a former columnist, a former Democratic
Senate candidate, and a writer and customer language analyst up in arms over “the left … condoning violence as an expression of emotion.”
“She knows the difference between parachuting in for a story, and having spent a little bit more time there,” said Melissa Navas (left), the IOP’s career development director and a mentor to Kubzansky. “In political journalism, you’ll have people fly in and go to a local diner. At her heart, she cares about communities. She knows she needs to immerse herself in a place and not make assertions.”
That’s the job, Kubzansky said. She said she read some national pubs “just as sanity checks,” but mostly stuck to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and, of course, WisPolitics.
“This is what the local media exists to do,” she said.
As polling in Kenosha County began to tilt toward Donald Trump, Kubzansky reached out to another mentor to further assuage her anxiety.
The previous summer, she’d interned for The Iowa Project, where she met David Yepsen, a veteran political reporter and a fixture in Iowa public TV.
“He provided a long-lens view on the whole thing. He’s known the Iowa political scene since 1976,” Kubzanky said. “He’s a lovely dude who’s invested in seeing younger folks come up in journalism.”
It’s immediately evident in a conversation with Kubzansky that she’s hard-wired for journalism. Over the past 2 years, she’s regularly surprised Navas in her first-floor office on campus.
“She’ll just pop into my office with this intensity,” Navas said. “I can tell in her eyes that she wants to talk about a story, or journalism ethics, or anything that isn’t sitting right with her.”
Kubzansky has been involved with The Maroon “since [she] stepped foot on campus as a freshman,” and since being voted in as managing editor days before the pandemic hit, has stepped up and become a mentor herself.
“She’s got this incredible mind for structure and organization, but also for encouragement,” Navas said.
Navas swelled with pride when The Maroon published a story on the campus shutting down the day before the announcement was made. The coverage during the pandemic in general was top-shelf.
But the relentless coverage also exposed the ironic weakness Kubzansky shares with most dogged journalists.
“Sometimes, I have to remind her to just take a deep breath,” Navas said. “I don’t want her to burn out on it early. She is hard-wired to be a journalist. She has this curiosity that will serve her well, and has served her well so far.”
Kubzansky did the interviews for this piece from her parents’ house in Washington, D.C. She said she chose to attend the University of Chicago, “because I’m a big nerd.”
“I got to Chicago and took one look at what I saw,” she said. “I saw a lot of other people who put a lot of stock into books.”
Because the university doesn’t have a J-school, she’s majoring in English and philosophy.
The novels she’s read over the years lend to morals and “say something about the best way to live,” she said. Before arriving in Chicago, she mostly read long-form journalism in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the like.
Being assigned to the development beat - “which I kidded and called the gentrification beat,” she said - and covering emotionally charged topics like the proposed extension of the Green Line on Chicago’s South Side, her focus has become hyper-local.
Kubzansky is enamored with the public square-focused City Bureau, and she calls working for Block Club, which covers all aspects of the city’s underserved neighborhoods, “a dream of mine.”
She’s also moved by news that hits hardest in the rural Midwest: from the dairy crisis and the defund-the-police coming home to roost, to brain drain and indiginous people’s role in local civic machines.
So living and working in, say, St. Croix County along the Wisconsin-Minnesota border would work as well as staying in the city that’s captured her heart.
“It would be tough from a personal perspective, but I need work,” she said. “And I’d definitely go work in St. Croix County over CNN in a heartbeat.”
LEFT: Virgil Miller, models the masks he purchased on Main Street. He takes a dim view of President Trump. “[Trump] has no respect for people, no respect for women, no respect for anyone but himself,” Miller said. Photo by Caroline Kubzansky.
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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