Gov. JB Pritzker has announced he wants to provide $70 million per year for the next three years to address the teacher shortage. Hats off to him, as there is no denying that hundreds of classrooms are lacking qualified, certified teachers. The issues of lack of teachers and low pay are real. These issues have […]
Cinda Ackerman Klickna
Cinda Klickna is a former teacher from Springfield and past president of the Illinois Education Association.
Posted inArts & Culture
Peanuts, the crop that changed history
Jori Lewis grew up in Springfield, graduated from Springfield High School in 1996, and is now the author of Slaves for Peanuts – A Story of Conquest, Liberation, and a Crop that Changed History, an historical narrative that explains the development of the peanut industry in Senegal and its impact on slavery. Lewis went to […]
Posted inNews
Pandemic took a big toll on education
This article references the report, The State We’re In 2022: A Look at the Impact of COVID-19 on Education in Illinois, produced by Advance Illinois, a bipartisan education policy and advocacy organization. For more on the report, go to advanceillinois.org. ———————————————— “The Covid-19 pandemic, unprecedented in scale and impact, has disrupted every possible facet of education in Illinois,” […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A first novel with ties to Springfield
Ralls Melotte is known for his work in art glass and architecture. A registered architect for over 50 years, he was a partner in the Springfield architectural firm Melotte, Morse, Leonatti, Parker, Ltd. In 2019 he retired, moved to Wisconsin, and has now added to his repertoire by writing his first novel, Cat’s Café, the […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Ageism is not OK
This Chair Rocks – A Manifesto Against Ageism by Ashton Applewhite. $17.99, Celadon Books The recent headline, “Age Issue Dogs Biden as He Turns 80,” may be one the author of This Chair Rocks – A Manifesto Against Ageism would probably call out as unfair. “Chronological age is an increasingly unreliable benchmark of pretty much […]
Posted inNews
Springfield’s Caring Corner
The section along South Grand between Seventh and Eighth streets could be called the Caring Corner. Since the 1860s this area has been the site of a complex of buildings that housed many organizations, which often changed names but with the same mission – to care for orphans, children, families in need, and to provide […]
Posted inNews
Rock Creek Presbyterian celebrates 200th anniversary
The day I ventured out to Tallula, Illinois, turning off Route 97 onto Rock Creek Road near Petersburg, I was awed by the brilliant oranges and reds of the leaves in the trees lining the road. I arrived at the Rock Creek Presbyterian Church to meet with some members of the congregation. When I was […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Visit Midwest history
As the weather turns chilly and the leaves start turning, there is still time to get in one or two last outings before cold weather hits. Cynthia Clampitt’s book Destination Heartland – A Guide to Discovering the Midwest’s Remarkable Past offers ideas. Destinations include historic towns and inns, museums and living-history venues, forts and lighthouses, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Echoes of yesteryear
First there was the pandemic in 2020, then inclement weather in 2021, causing the Sangamon County Historical Society to cancel its Oak Ridge Cemetery Walk. But, this year, plans are set to once again welcome visitors on Sunday, Oct. 2. Actors, in period costumes, will portray eight Springfield citizens who made a difference to Springfield. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Business with heart and soul
How often, since the pandemic, do we hear of individuals who are reexamining their jobs, determining that they want more out of life or that the work they have been doing is not giving them satisfaction? Workers leave; employers must find new employees. Jack Uldrich and Camille Kolles, Re Generation – Sowing Seeds for a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Death of the Dome Building, 1893-1917
The Dome Building was the focus of the Illinois State Fair for over 20 years before it met its fiery end on Aug. 17, 1917. Originally the Horticulture Building at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, known as the Columbian Exposition, the structure was purchased by the Illinois State Fair board in 1894 for $69,000. It […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ham operators “radio up” for Field Day
Roger Whitaker, a member of the Sangamon Valley Radio Club (SVRC), has been a ham radio operator for 64 years, having earned his license when he was only 11. The SVRC, one of the oldest clubs in Illinois and an affiliate of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), will celebrate its 75th anniversary next March. […]
