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Fall Guide 2021
There is no shortage of things to do in central Illinois this fall. Many of the fall festivals and regular events are returning, and we’ve included a roundup of theater and live music happenings. Traditional activities such as apple orchards and enjoying the outdoors are more popular than ever, but we’ve also highlighted some new…
Editor’s Note 8/26/21
In Springfield this week little children put on their masks, held tight to somebody’s hand, and headed off to in-person school, an act of bravery repeated millions of times all over the country and around the world. If parents were given the remote option, many of them would have kept their children home; if masks…
Hit and run heartbreak
If the past year and a half of the pandemic hasn’t been enough of a lesson that life can change quickly and unexpectedly for the worse, an event earlier this month involving a former Illinois Times reporter and veteran journalist spotlights the message. Dusty Rhodes was walking her dog Rosie, a beautiful Shar-Pei, around 9…
Reaching rural residents
“We have individuals who get COVID and then ask if they can have a vaccine,” Dr. Rajesh Govindaiah told Illinois Times. He’s senior vice president and chief medical officer for Memorial Health System. “The vaccine does not treat COVID. The vaccine prevents you from getting COVID in the first place. And if you get COVID,…
The costs of war
As Americans fled Kabul and desperate Afghans sought to follow, Jerry and Brett Young stood in the yard of their rural Rochester home Aug. 20 and remembered their boy who never got to see his 26th birthday. “He loved to skateboard when he was younger. And he loved all kinds of music. He especially liked…
Illinois State Museum and Kidzeum awarded federal grants
The Kidzeum of Health and Science and Illinois State Museum received good news. Both were awarded highly competitive grants from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This is Kidzeum’s first IMLS grant; the program is so competitive many small museums don’t apply. The ISM has received numerous IMLS grants over the years.…
non-news poem #?
the news is too awful for me to write about but I can’t help wondering with all those folks jammed against the airport fence are any vaccinated? 2021 Jacqueline Jackson
Letters to the editor 8/26/21
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- DO IT FOR THE KIDS Please, for the sake of all of our children, mask up and vaccinate (“Back to school,” Aug. 19). Illinois is now heading into a peak that is predicted to…
Problems abound for Dems new BLUE Committee
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon decided last week to join House Speaker Chris Welch in his decision to not participate in the Democratic Party of Illinois’ new “BLUE Committee” structure. The state party chair, US Rep. Robin Kelly, is barred by federal election laws from participating in any fundraising or spending of money that is…
Apple picking in central Illinois
What could be more American than apple pie? Loading up family and friends on a crisp fall day and heading to an orchard to pick the apples for that pie, that’s what. Central Illinois offers plenty of places to go for apples and other fall fun. Plus, orchards are good spots for enjoying the outdoors…
Wind down with a glass of wine
Feeling the need to explore the world around you after working from home since last year? Quench that thirst for adventure with a glass of wine or a cold craft beer at local establishments that have a wide variety of options. Barely 13 miles southwest of Springfield, in the middle of what seems to be…
The great outdoors
Fall is a lovely time of year to be outside, moving our bodies and settling our minds. Immersing ourselves in nature is like a balm to the soul. Time spent in the great outdoors can disconnect us from the hurried and harried pace of life, giving us time to reflect on our status as biological…
Fun family adventures
When it comes to family friendly activities, parents sometimes have a hard time coming up with ideas that will please everyone. Oftentimes, we end up with the same activities in heavy rotation and that can leave everyone feeling a little underwhelmed. Recently, when I was given the opportunity to try out two new family activities…
Music for the fall
Springfield’s music scene is as revved up as ever, and there’s no end in sight. From classic country to electric holiday rock music, the offerings are always diverse – which is what we’ve come to expect around here – and this season’s lineup does not disappoint. Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters are kicking off…
Things to do with bacon fat
My love of bacon has been my biggest deterrent to embracing full-out vegetarianism. When I was attending the University of Illinois College of Dentistry, I had an apartment in Oak Park, home to 25 Frank Lloyd Wright structures. In the early morning I’d go for a run through the historic Frank Lloyd Wright District, and…
Fall theater
The cicadas are singing their late summer serenade and that means things are just starting to heat up again on the theater scene. This season’s stage offerings range from new and classic tales, personal stories and dance to comedy. The UIS Performing Arts Center gets the season underway on Sept. 24 with actor, comedian and…
Butch, Sam, Lovelorn and blues
Now that the 2021 Illinois State Fair is behind us, we can take a deep breath and continue on our adventures in local live music as before with much ado about a lot of things ahead. First comes a tribute to Robert “Butch” Emil Ramelow, a Springfield-area music icon who passed away May 23 after…
Governor reinstates indoor mask mandate
The statewide mask mandate indoors is back, and educators and health care professionals will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday amid an ongoing surge in the pandemic that first arrived in Illinois in March 2020. Beginning Monday, people will be required to wear masks indoors, Pritzker announced. The vaccine…
Reminiscence, Together and Mr. Gorman are ones to watch
Poignant payoff saves Reminiscence A smart piece of future noir, Lisa Joy’s Reminiscence contains all the elements we associate with films like Out of The Past and Blade Runner – doomed protagonists, femme fatales and cutting-edge science fiction to tell its tale of fatal love, all set on rain-soaked, shadowy streets. Hugh Jackman is Nick,…
Fall Guide Events
Walk, Hike and Bike History Illinois Department of Natural Resource’s Walk, Hike and Bike History is a series of inspiring outdoor experiences that connect you to must-see museums and monuments in the capital city. Friends of Lincoln Hike Wednesdays at 10am. Saturdays at 3pm. A 90-minute walk through the hills of Oak Ridge Cemetery. Lincoln…
