Good morning.

Wow, there's a lot going on in the news these days; Tribune Opinion has been correspondingly busy.

The editorial board considers the harsh criticism being leveled at U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin by fellow Democrats for being a “yes” vote to reopen the government. Some deep breaths are in order, we say.

An issue, though, where the outrage machine appropriately is running hot follows a report from the inspector general for Chicago Public Schools on how teachers and administrators took millions in "work-related" trips to vacation destinations like Hawaii over five years. Our editorial offers a bunch of details not included in a lot of the news stories we read.

Topping letters to the editor is a noteworthy missive from a “who's who” of veteran news broadcasters in Chicago — people you likely watched for years. They decry Operation Midway Blitz and, based on their many years on the beat, reassure you that your lying eyes don 't deceive you: That wasn't normal.

Two former Chicago Housing Department officials have an op-ed making the case that the City Council blew its opportunity to alleviate the housing crunch with its recent compromise on granny flats.

And Juan Ochoa writes from his experience as a business owner on what he views as the desperate need to renew Affordable Care Act tax credits.

All of the above are well worth your time. Have a great day, and we'll be back tomorrow.

— Steve Daniels, editorial board member

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