Cover Story
No teen left behind
Springfield school board meetings usually end with these with words being uttered by Superintendent Jennifer Gill: “expelled with a program” or “expelled without a program.” Because expulsion hearings are done behind closed doors, these pronouncements are often shrouded in mystery. Why was the student kicked out of school? What does it mean for a youngster…
Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation June 25 creating a new cabinet-level state agency dedicated to early childhood education and development. The new Department of Early Childhood, which will become operational in July 2026, will take over programs currently housed across three state agencies, including funding for preschool programs, child care centers and the licensing of…
Illinois GOP ousts moderate leadership
As you’ve probably heard by now, Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy announced his resignation last week, apparently effective the day after the Republican National Convention concludes on July 18. The announcement came after far-right activists forced out the state party’s vice chair, Mark Shaw, and the resignation of the party’s finance chair, Vince Kolber.…
Doctor receives zoning approval to build apartments near medical district
Zoning for a $4 million project to construct an apartment complex on Springfield’s north side was unanimously approved June 18 by the Springfield City Council, despite continued opposition from neighbors who believe it will increase traffic hazards and otherwise detract from the feel of the residential neighborhood. Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase, who represents the…
Ghostlight one of the year’s best films, Thelma is feisty
Ghostlight a sincere beacon of hope Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Ghostlight is prime fodder for nitpickers. It has its narrative flaws, and I would be the first to admit that key moments would likely never happen. And yet, I’m glad that I haven’t gotten so old and bitter that I take a hypercritical look…
Illinois GOP chair announces resignation weeks before Republican National Convention
Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on June 19 announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party. Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in a two-page letter that cited intraparty…
Durbin views the national scene
No submitting questions in advance, no take-it-or-leave-it prepared statements, no off-limit topics, and no hesitation when responding to the interviewer. It’s rare that a national political figure agrees to a no-holds-barred interview, but U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, thinks that’s how it should be when elected officials interact with the news media. “What…
Lincoln needs its prison
I have been incarcerated for 35 years at the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, and so I write this as a representative of the inmate population that is opposed to its closure and relocation. While there is no doubt as to the need for infrastructure repair or rebuilding, the complete closure of this facility is…
Keys to a great potato salad
We all have nostalgic taste memories from our childhoods. It might be for things like our Mom’s brownies or our grandmother’s lemon meringue pie. Any discussion we might have about the best way to make a particular dish will ultimately be evaluated and compared against what you grew up with. If I were to tell…
Music moves for June
Things are really heating up, literally and figuratively, as we roll through a month of June music. Now let’s see where the hot spots are and what they’re cooking up for us to enjoy during this abundance of Springfield live music performances. Just in case you haven’t noticed all the hoopla about our Levitt AMP…
Southwind Park to host two family-friendly events
For Springfield-area families, Southwind Park is the place to be this Saturday. Two events will offer a wide variety of fun-filled activities at the park. Both begin at 10 a.m., but let’s start with Hopeapalooza, which is back “bigger and better” this year. The annual event, which offers an opportunity to learn more about the…
Editors note 6/20/24
We’ll all be watching those two old guys on the debate stage next week to see which of them stutters the most, or forgets names, hesitates too long or falls asleep. But by the end of 90 minutes, we’ll surely also get a good sense about which of them has the best ideas and will…
Poisoned
My mother was very bright my mother’s older sister was very bright my mother’s brother died as a drunk, a mutual cousin asked “With both our mothers so brilliant, how come our Uncle Horace wasn’t?” I wrote back to her, “Uncle Horace was almost certainly as bright as his sisters but he was gassed in the…
Letters to the editor 6/20/24
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — THINK BIGGER How about a points system for violations (at 3 a.m. bars that have issues)? You are throwing out the baby with the bath water (“City may delay vote on 3 a.m. liquor…
It’s up to us to make a better world for ourselves
Many of my peers working in politics believe people’s minds are changed by “spirited debate.” However, in my experience, shock, particularly a shock affecting someone close, is far more commonly the reason people change their worldview. If someone lives over a decade believing the world works a certain way, and seemingly in an instant they…
