Cover Story
Fair music
Every year, any discussion about the Illinois State Fair leads very quickly to all the live music happening. From the big-time touring acts at the Grandstand or local cover bands getting a hot spot at the beer tents, to the various performances on scattered stages around the grounds, it wouldn’t be the State Fair without…
What’s new at the Illinois State Fair?
The Illinois State Fair kicks off Aug. 10, and this year’s 11-day celebration of all the state has to offer seeks to provide something for everyone, with a new focus on inclusivity and accessibility for fairgoers. The Illinois State Fair is the most affordable state fair in the Midwest with $5 parking, $5-$10 admission, various…
Youth swim coach under investigation
The head coach of two youth swimming clubs has been banned from Springfield Park District property, quit his job at Southeast High School and is being investigated by a national watchdog group dedicated to ending abuse in athletics. The actions took place after a Sangamon County man on July 19 requested and received a civil…
Watchdog investigates state employees fraud
Dozens of state employees across multiple agencies are under investigation by a state watchdog for claims they fraudulently obtained payments from a federal pandemic-era loan program, Capitol News Illinois has learned. Neil Olson, general counsel at the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General, confirmed that “OEIG has been investigating allegations of Paycheck Protection Program…
In perjury trial, Madigan’s top aide will test limits of loyalty
CHICAGO – As the perjury trial of Tim Mapes began in Chicago this week, followers of Illinois politics marveled at the fall from grace experienced by this once powerful aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. In the summer of 2018, Mapes’ name had only recently faded from unflattering headlines after he was forced…
Letters to the editor 8/10/23
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- INSPIRATIONAL This article is inspiring (“Repurposing MacMurray Hall, July 20). I love the idea of teaching people how to use the fruits and vegetables that they are given. I tried to implement a similar…
Heart of Stone a solid thriller, River Wild is shaky, Meg 2 is all wet
Gadot solid as Stone What with The Gray Man, Extraction and Red Notice franchises, Netflix is making a name for itself as the go-to source for solid action fare. Tom Harper’s Heart of Stone seems destined to be added to the streamer’s stable of series as the director delivers a solid, if not overly original, espionage thriller that’s…
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln announces scholarship awards
The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln recently announced 124 scholarship awards and scholarship renewals for 2023 totaling more than $290,000. These scholarships were made possible through charitable funds established at the Community Foundation by more than 35 individuals, families and organizations. This year’s awards bring the cumulative scholarship distributions from the Community Foundation…
Miniature Butter Cow Contest becoming a tradition, too
The iconic butter cow sculpture is a perennial “must-see” at the Illinois State Fair. Since the 1920s, the life-size figure traditionally made of 500 pounds of unsalted butter has drawn crowds of fairgoers to the Dairy Building. Bessie and her friends in the exhibit are no longer the only butter sculptures there, though, after a…
Time for tempura
Crispy vegetable tempura is my favorite way to satisfy a State Fair-induced craving for fried food at home. Tempura is a Japanese preparation in which vegetables and seafood are dipped in a light batter and deep-fried until perfectly crisp and golden. Unlike so many of the fried creations that we Midwesterns are so familiar with,…
Fast-paced School of Rock finishes Muni season
Two shows opened last weekend in area outdoor theaters: the one-weekend-only run of Agatha Christie’s Murder On the Orient Express at New Salem’s Theatre in the Park and School of Rock at the Muni Opera (running Aug. 10 to Saturday, Aug. 12). Muni Opera’s production of School of Rock is a stage version of the popular…
More than fair music
Yes, my friends, the time has come when Springfield once again plays host to the Illinois State Fair. For those of us who grew up in the area and have gone to the fair from childhood, many of our experiences were connected to live music. Definitely for me and most of my friends and family,…
Editors note 8/10/23
Two years ago, Illinois Times reported that readers of a new biography of Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard (1816-1897) were saying Andrew McFarland’s name should be scrubbed from Springfield’s mental health center. “Instead, the center should bear Packard’s name for her efforts to change laws and patient treatments,” wrote Mary Bohlen in her Nov. 11, 2021,…
Organization works to preserve history of north end plant
The Pillsbury Mills plant has been closed since 2001, but “office hours” are continuing there every Tuesday morning through Sept. 26. Former Pillsbury employees, neighbors, retirees and families are invited to spend some time with site owner Moving Pillsbury Forward in a shaded, indoor sitting area on the south loading dock. It’s all a part…
For John Knoepfle
February 2003 at the University there’s currently a class on writing the long poem: I would have to write a very long poem to compass the 30 plus years of camaraderie with John. He has written some pretty long poems himself but now he’s into short and may refine his art down to one word…
