Three sweaty men smiled widely as they loaded a shipment of crutches into the back of a hot semi truck Tuesday afternoon, wedging the wooden and metal braces individually between hospital beds that stood upright to save space. The crutches and beds are headed to San Pedro, Mexico, one of Springfield’s two sister cities, as […]
Cap City
Posted inOpinion
GNAT IN MY BACKYARD
OK, so they’re not gnats — but the soybean aphids that are infiltrating Springfield sure are little pests. The itty-bitty flying insects build up in high numbers on soybeans — as many as 250 per plant — in the summer. They migrate to buckthorn, a small, thorny shrub that serves as their winter hideaway, in […]
Posted inOpinion
RESTORATION CONVERSATION
Clay, the executive director of the Illinois Audubon Society, and Vern LaGesse, an ecological restorationist and president of Friends of the Sangamon Valley, announced in June their plans to breathe new life into the Adams Wildlife Sanctuary [see “Restoring Adams Wildlife Sanctuary,” by Amanda Robert, June 11]. At 7 p.m. Thursday (tonight), the pair will […]
Posted inOpinion
FUTURISTIC FASHIONISTA
You can do the darnedest things with technology — meet your future husband after a few late-night chats and photo exchanges, consult a doctor who’s five counties away about a developing skin irritation and announce every minute of your day to family and friends (“Cap city just ate a chili-cheese horseshoe. It was sooo good”). […]
Posted inOpinion
HEADMASTER’S VISIT
It wasn’t too hot or too cold, but President Barack Obama’s latest trip to Springfield still made a few people squirm. On Tuesday morning the president delivered a televised address to classrooms in the capital city (and across the rest of America), challenging them to set and achieve educational goals. After national media voiced fears […]
Posted inOpinion
MADE FOR WALKING
ShoeTopia — Springfield’s own unique French boutique — has followed the crowd, right out of its downtown storefront at 413 E. Adams St. and into new digs on the west side. The shoe store, which also sells purses, glass jewelry, notecards and other girly gadgets and once made IT’s list of reasons to shop downtown […]
Posted inOpinion
SUPERHERO STATUS
They don’t wear capes, see through walls or fight crime, but Bill and Kevin Rogers should probably be classified as Springfield supermen. The kilted father-son duo recently took Scotland by storm, competing in the Masters World Championships at the Inverness Highland Games and winning top titles in their divisions. The international heavyweight contest pitted 82 […]
Posted inOpinion
JAZZ IT UP
The Harriet Tubman/Susan B. Anthony Women’s Self Help and Multicultural Center hopes to expand its arts and crafts, music, health and fitness, computer technology and education programs into the Matheny School Building, 2200 E. Jackson St., but first the nonprofit needs the finances. John T. Crisp, Jr., the organization’s president, says they want to use […]
Posted inOpinion
STEPPING UP
Marissa Jo Cerar, the aspiring young actress from Athens who appeared on IT’s cover five years ago [see “Seeing Stars,” Dec. 2, 2004, at illinoistimes.com], has once again caught the eye of Hollywood filmmakers. This time Cerar plays a behind-the-scenes role as the screenwriter of “STEPS,” a three-minute short film that features a young girl, […]
Posted inOpinion
PLUTO-CRACY
We may have our share of leadership issues and year after year of budgetary blunders, but by golly, Illinoisans stand behind Pluto. This week marks the three-year anniversary of Pluto’s fall from grace — when the International Astronomical Union demoted the ninth-in-line from a planet to a dwarf planet (citing concerns that it was no […]
Posted inOpinion
FRIED PEPSI HITS STANDS
If you think Kurt and Jean-Ann Miller’s pork parfait — pulled pork, barbecue sauce and mashed potatoes served in a sundae dish — sounds strangely appealing, you’re gonna dig their fried Pepsi. The Millers, natives of Indiana and new to the Illinois State Fair, spent a month developing fried Pepsi after seeing something similar at […]
Posted inOpinion
PEASE’S PLEASE
You’ve probably been craving peanut butter melt-a-ways, chocolate pecan fudge or white chocolate almond cluster truffles for months, but in the midst of swimsuit season, haven’t surrendered to the little, tasty temptations. Well, we’re going to give you the perfect excuse. In August, Pease’s Candy will feature its Month of Charity event, taking 20 percent […]
