The most surprising thing 13th District Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski found during her first year in office is that there are many more people like her in Washington, D.C. “There are a lot of us who want to get things done and we work together to accomplish that,” said Budzinski, a Democrat from Springfield. “We see […]
David Blanchette
David Blanchette has been involved in journalism since 1979, first as an award-winning broadcaster, then a state government spokesperson, and now as a freelance writer and photographer. He was involved in the development of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and more recently the Jacksonville Area Museum. David and his wife, Sue, live in Petersburg.
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What do top-scoring and bottom-scoring schools look like?
Here is an in-depth look at four Springfield School District 186 schools based on their ISBE Report Card ratings. Two of them were highly rated “commendable” schools, Owen Marsh and Enos Elementary, while two, Jefferson Middle and Southeast High, were rated among the lowest-performing five percent of schools in Illinois. Owen Marsh Elementary School, Commendable […]
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District 186 report card was a “gut punch”
The COVID-19 pandemic may be officially over, but its effects linger throughout the state’s education system. That’s one takeaway from the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) 2023 Illinois Report Card, a detailed annual summary that shows how the state, and each school and district, are progressing on a wide range of educational goals, based […]
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Warriors with a difference
The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI) Warriors in Jacksonville just did something that other schools across the state and nation have done only grudgingly or not at all. The school has voluntarily and happily moved away from logos and mascots with Native American connotations. Gone is ISVI’s old Native American headdress logo, which […]
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Inside a caring school
It was a chaotic scene recently in the principal’s office. A young student was obviously in distress, kicking, flailing and screaming, as staff calmly spoke while trying to keep him from injuring himself or others. The student gradually calmed down enough that he willingly followed a staff member to a private room, and within half […]
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Grants support urban farming
Agricultural groups in Sangamon and Morgan counties have each received $60,000 grants from the National Association of Conservation Districts to advance urban agriculture and conservation efforts in Springfield and Jacksonville. These are the first projects of this type to be funded by the association in Illinois.The grants will help to demonstrate how community-based farming can […]
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Renovation revelations
Horse hair, hidden trusses and fire damage: Welcome to the $245 million North Wing renovation project at the Illinois State Capitol building in downtown Springfield. Project workers have experienced the surprise of finding previously unknown, original elements of the building such as wall insulation made from horse hair and grass, hidden trusses and fireplaces, historic […]
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Phase One Armory renovation underway
With usable office space being reduced by the ongoing North Wing project at the Capitol, and the Stratton Office Building slated for demolition in approximately 12 years, a new location must be found for hundreds of state employees in several agencies who work in those two buildings. The solution is the Illinois State Armory building, […]
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Springfield’s cannabis entrepreneur
Recreational cannabis is a growth industry, and Springfield resident Chris Stone plans to take full advantage of the potential behind the once-banned substance. “Eight percent of the population uses cannabis regularly, so how do we get to the other 92 percent?” Stone said. “There is a large majority of people out there over 21 years […]
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Repurposing MacMurray Hall
Two subjects that are as old as civilization are being taught in a building on the former MacMurray College campus in Jacksonville by neighbors who are injecting local enthusiasm into their lifelong passions. Michael Woods and Tim Smith have purchased the old MacMurray Hall building, a large 1920s-era brick-and-stone science classroom structure on East College […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Pride in Petersburg
Small-town pride took on a new meaning June 24 as the Menard County city of Petersburg celebrated diversity and inclusion with its first-ever Pride in Petersburg event. Live music, drag performers and merchant specials shined a light on the conservative, rural community that has seen a lot of change in recent years. New businesses have […]
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Still building Athens
Forty-eight years ago, when Illinois Times had just opened for business, its very first cover story featured the Menard County community of Athens: “Rebuilding Athens: How to save a small town,” Sept. 18, 1975. There was a movement at the time to rebuild the waning small town, and optimism reigned because Athens, 16 miles northwest […]
