Feature | Thursday, July 29,2004

Unplugged

Another Springfield area teen hangout bites the dust

Springfield teens are a nomadic lot, though not by choice. It seems that each time they settle into a new funky abode, where they're free to let their fraying jeans hang low and spike their hai

News | Thursday, July 22,2004

Coming together

By Todd Spivak

It all began with a serial burglar. Some two years ago, in midafternoon, an intruder looted jewelry and electronics from Erin Conley's home on the edge of Lincoln Park. The incident marked the seco

News | Thursday, July 22,2004

Transit fix

By Todd Spivak

Richard Fix says he has heard the same complaints since he became managing director of Springfield Mass Transit District 15 years ago. Perhaps that's why the SMTD manager appeared bored as sever

News | Thursday, July 15,2004

Da Senator

Ditka considers taking the challenge, and lifts sagging GOP

By Todd Spivak

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama says he welcomes a possible challenge from former Chicago Bears football coach Mike Ditka in the November election. "The speculation is fun for everybod

News | Thursday, July 15,2004

Revisionist history

“Free Frank” descendant takes aim at New Philadelphia excavation project

By Todd Spivak

A former University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign professor has denounced recent efforts to recreate what is considered the country's first town founded by an African American. Prominent black his

History | Thursday, July 15,2004

“Uglier than ugly”

State employees may hate the Stratton, but they’re stuck for now

By Todd Spivak

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but it seems architectural historians alone find reason to swoon over the massive William G. Stratton Building, located directly west of the Capitol. Lawmak

Feature | Thursday, July 8,2004

The Spoilers

Ralph Nader and the Greens go their separate ways – and struggle to stay relevant

By Todd Spivak

Ralph Nader was "snubbed." He was "rejected," "rebuked," "spurned," "bypassed," "set adrift." Plainly put, the legendary consumer advocate and perennial presidential candidate "blew it." So r

News | Thursday, July 1,2004

Turning over rocks

By Todd Spivak

A Springfield attorney and a statewide trade group have launched independent investigations into safety conditions at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The Illinois Cemetery and Funeral Homes Association resp

News | Thursday, July 1,2004

Behind the eight ball

By Todd Spivak

A crippled Illinois Republican Party is scrambling to fill the vacancy left by U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan after the sudden implosion of his candidacy last week. While several replacements

News | Thursday, June 24,2004

Competitive edge

By Todd Spivak

More than 70 emergency homeless shelter agencies across Illinois will share state grants totaling $2.4 million. And the two biggest recipients, according to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office, are Sp