Cover Story
When kids can’t read
Makiya Burton is a Springfield mother who worries that her children are not learning to read. “My children have a struggle with reading. I have a family history of having trouble with reading as well,” Burton said. “One of my kids is getting better at reading. And one of them is still down there struggling.…
United Way of Central Illinois mobilizes community for annual Day of Action
Looks to empower volunteerism to create lasting change On April 26, the United Way of Central Illinois will organize its annual Day of Action, rallying community members from all walks of life to dedicate an afternoon to the service of others. This event, emblematic of the organization’s commitment to fostering community engagement, seeks to mobilize…
State digs out of pension debt
Gov. JB Pritzker proposed some changes to the state’s pension system during his budget address and State of the State speech last month that will likely please the New York City-based bond rating agencies by giving them something they want, as well as his fellow Democrats by freeing up some money to spend on other…
Memorial Health to bring back valet parking
Memorial Health says it will restore valet parking services at the entrance to Springfield Memorial Hospital sometime this spring. The Springfield-based health system laid off about a dozen parking attendants in early August in a move that resulted in public criticism and was part of about 300 layoffs designed to save the nonprofit system an…
NPR station facing financial challenges
A one-time 25% cut in federal funding to NPR Illinois will create one more challenge for the public radio station at University of Illinois Springfield. “Combined with the other cuts, it doesn’t help,” General Manager Randy Eccles said. “We will get through it.” The nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives money from Congress to…
Pastel Society gives back
The Illinois Prairie Pastel Society (IPPS) will present an exhibition of paintings by members at the Springfield Art Association (SAA) March 1-30, with a public reception on Friday, March 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m. The show will be judged by Aline Ordman, a nationally known pastel artist from Vermont, who will also conduct a three-day workshop for…
The mystery and romance of the rice cooker
The late Roger Ebert was an unlikely enthusiast of the electric rice cooker. A Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times (and Urbana native), Ebert had a true passion for food and cooking. My wife’s cousin, Carolyn, who knew Ebert well, shares fond memories of how he loved going to restaurants with a big…
Leap into March music
I’ve been writing this column (and very thankful to do so) since August of 2000, but I don’t remember an Illinois Times issue appearing in the stands (let alone online) on a leap day, but here we are in 2024 doing just that. We have a good selection of fine music for you to experience…
Annual event celebrates 25th year with giveaways, contest
This weekend is a milestone for the Illinois Product Expo. The Expo, a family-friendly event showcasing Illinois food and agriculture industries, is marking its 25th year. State officials say the event is going to be as big as ever, too, with more than 70 vendors offering samples and products including cheese, baked goods, sauces, meats,…
Dune: Part Two an ambitious undertaking, but Spaceman plods along
Dune: Part Two an astounding, cinematic experience There’s no lack of ambition where Denis Villeneuve’s epic adaptation of Dune: Part Two is concerned. Instead of shrinking from the task of bringing a complete-as-possible version of Frank Herbert’s complex sci-fi epic to the screen, he rises to the task again and again, not only in his…
Editor’s note 2/29/24
Several at the graveside service said they were surprised at the size of the crowd, 50 or so, that assembled at Oak Ridge Cemetery that sunny morning last week. They didn’t know “Cowboy” Bob McClure, who was 68 when he died Feb. 12, had so many friends. I knew him as a neighbor who would…
Crime on the rise in Sangamon County
The end of cash bail that took effect five months ago in Illinois is contributing to a rise in crime rates in Springfield and the rest of Sangamon County, law enforcement officials say. It may not be conclusive proof, but Springfield Police Chief Kenneth Scarlette pointed to a 21.5% increase in reports of serious crimes…
Pioneers on the UIS Prairie
About 100 people who helped to transform University of Illinois Springfield into a four-year university held their first reunion Saturday, Feb. 24, at a breakfast on the campus. That visible display of support for UIS was a testimony to the impact felt by those first freshmen classes starting in the fall of 2001, with many…
Turtle Township Mound
I grew up on a farm in Turtle Township Often we played with kids downtown on the Beloit College campus. One day during hide-and-seek I wandered to a seldom traveled bluff beyond the observatory overlooking Rock River noticed the grass made a large low mound saw the mound had grassy mound feet, a head, a…
Letters to the editor 2/29/24
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- A SPRINGFIELD TREASURE This past week was a flurry of Black History Month celebrations and commemorations. Among the most exciting and engaging was The Florence B. Price Festival, “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight.” This…
