Langfelder rolls in mayor’s race
In what seemed a foregone conclusion, Jim Langfelder was easily re-elected Tuesday to a second term as Springfield’s mayor. Meanwhile, political newcomer Shawn Gregory led by just one vote over Gail Simpson in the Ward 2 aldermanic race, with incumbent Herman Senor finishing a distant third. Gregory noted that there are provisional ballots yet to…
St. Louis Baseball Ticket Giveaway
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March madness
We knew it all along, That, in a nutshell, is what Springfield School District 186 is saying about a forensic audit released last week that confirms tons of problems surrounding the high school basketball jamboree formerly known as the Adam Lopez Country Financial Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament. Records were such a mess that auditors couldn’t determine…
The path to legalization
Should proponents of legalizing cannabis in Illinois be worried about Rep. Marty Moylan’s (D-Des Plaines) House resolution? The resolution, HR157, urges legislators “to slow the process of legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois.” Moylan’s resolution now has 60 sponsors and co-sponsors, which is a majority of the House’s 118 members. In theory, anyway, it has enough…
Letters to the Editor 3/28/19
HOTEL VETTING LACKING Thanks to Bruce Rushton and IT for checking out the credentials of the backers of the proposed new downtown Springfield hotel (“Welcome to Hotel Springfield,” March 21). Rushton’s research shows a serious lack of experience or know-how in US hotel development, construction or management by the individuals or companies that convinced nine…
Editor’s note 3/28/19
When Springfield voters go to the polls Tuesday on Election Day, they will find a robust ballot with dozens of candidates, many newcomers and more women than in past local elections. Several candidate forums have offered plenty of opportunity for voters to be informed, and Illinois Times has reported on campaigns for all the city…
Providers should call the shots
Since leaving the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011, I’ve dedicated my professional life to fighting for full implementation and enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 – a law I had the honor of authoring with congressional colleagues in true bipartisan spirit. The law requires most insurers to cover…
A meditation on the delicate balance between humans and nature
Each month the Paul Mickey Learning Series features a different topic and speaker that are free and open to the public. A film screening of The Guardians is featured this month. Shot over three years, this intimate documentary takes viewers on a cinematic journey through the butterfly-dense mountaintops of Michoacán as the community works to…
Stormy comes to Springfield
Stormy Daniels walked from her car to the Lincoln statue on the grounds of the Illinois State Capitol, gave her brief prepared remarks and left without taking questions. She was protesting the “pole tax” (Live Adult Entertainment Facility Surcharge Act), which strip clubs pay to help fund rape crisis centers. She said, “Rape crisis centers…
The legend of Mr. Cub
“They’re all beautiful days Buck. It’s just that some are more beautiful than others.” –Ernie Banks The true harbinger of spring is not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano. It is the sound of the bat on the ball, the green of the grass and the chatter on the field. It is baseball, and another…
A crowded field
Among myriad issues, aldermanic candidates in Ward 2 face a common issue in the April 2 election: voter apathy. Four years ago, Ward 2 had the lowest turnout of any ward, with 20 percent of registered voters casting ballots and more than 400 of the 1,828 voters who did go to the polls not expressing…
Ward 1: Same faces, new race
Ward 1 Alderman Chuck Redpath and candidate Rev. T. Ray McJunkins are facing off again to represent the largest ward in the city. McJunkins, lead pastor at Union Baptist Church and a founder of the Faith Coalition for the Common Good, received about a quarter of the votes in the 2015 election. McJunkins said he…
You better believe it – Dumbo soars!
As the Disney money machine continues to roll along, so does its series of live-action remakes of the animated classics. What with The Jungle Book, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast proving to be major hits – and all quite good as well – the Mouse House is going to continue this line of attack…
Peele’s ambitious Us ultimately falls short
The worlds of art and sports are littered with filmmakers, authors and athletes who have fallen victim to the sophomore slump, having wowed the world with their debut only to fail to live up to expectations the second time around. The perils of setting the bar high with your opening salvo on the public stage…
March celebrations and more
As we roll on through the last weekend of March, warm winds blow us toward the outdoor live music entertainment just ahead. But first, let’s get to our big March finale. Supporting the blues scene with amazing dedication for over three decades, the Illinois Central Blues Club continues on in its stated purpose of “preserving…
Scott H. Biram
Known as the Dirty Old One Man Band, Scott H. Biram plays by himself for anyone who will listen, and that’s been a lot of folks during his nearly two decades in professional music. From humble beginnings in his native Texas, Scott has traveled the U.S., Canada and Europe many times over jamming in joints…
It’s time to eat more fish
The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fish per week based on numerous studies indicating that consuming fish is good for your heart. Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fats, which are known to help lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel function, as well as vitamin D and selenium, important nutrients…
POLITICS GET PETTY
With the municipal election in less than a week, the candidates have been keeping the city’s inspector general busy with complaints about their opponents. Two reports issued at the end of last month by Judge Roger Holmes provide a glimpse into topics that have triggered investigations. The reports were absent of names, but anyone following…
Why do they call it Bluffstone?
Remember four years ago, when proponents of a downtown apartment complex came here from Iowa, asking the city for tax increment financing money to subsidize a 70-unit apartment complex at Fourth and Madison streets? Business types, downtown boosters and University of Illinois Springfield officials lauded the idea: This would be a great deal for everyone.…
music memory poem #7
music memory poem #7 here’s a partial list of music I’ve stayed in the car to hear the finish: a partita – bach – for unaccompanied violin, a haydenconcerto I thought was an unfamiliar mozart, thais meditation, vaughn williams’ fantasia on a theme by thomas tallis for double string orchestra (I played the cello…
