The Trutter Center at Lincoln Land Community College presents “Trutter: Black and White.” Art and artifacts from the travels of Springfield architect Philip Trutter and his wife, Mary Kathryn Trutter, are on display along with black and white photographs of Trutter’s architectural projects, which include Capital Airport, the Municipal Building West, Franklin Junior High School […]
Ginny Lee
Posted inArts & Culture
Death of a statesman
A 1989 photo of Sen. Phil Rock, right, and Senate Minority Leader James “Pate” Philip. The two discussed issues and votes nearly every day during Rock’s 12-year tenure as Senate president. PHOTO BY GINNY LEE Philip J. Rock, 78, former president of the Illinois Senate, died Friday, Jan. 29. Rock, a Democrat widely regarded on […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Wide Spectrum
Tramp art radio cabinet. PHOTO COURTESY ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM I always learn something when I visit the Illinois State Museum in Springfield. Walking through the new exhibit, “Spectrum: Selections from Fine and Decorative Arts,” I learned about the phenomenon of Tramp Art. In this show is a six-foot-tall cabinet carved out of wooden cigar boxes […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Lincoln and the Jews
Abraham Jonas of Quincy, a fellow lawyer and legislator. Probably the first Jew Lincoln knew well. PHOTO COURTESY W. Wells Family Collection A thought-provoking exhibit on Lincoln’s relationship with Jews will open at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on Monday, Aug. 3. “With Firmness in the Right: Lincoln and the Jews” addresses how Lincoln helped […]
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Successful Seussical
Sour Kangaroo, the Cat in the Hat, Horton and Jojo. Photo BY Mark Mangiaracina COURTESY SPRINGFIELD MUNI OPERA Springfield’s Muni Opera was blessed with a dry, comfortable evening for opening night of Seussical the Musical July 10. The show, based on Dr. Seuss’ popular books including Horton Hears a Who and Miss Gertrude McFuzz, has […]
Posted inNews
Standout students receive college scholarships
Carolyn Blackwell and Betsy Weidner joined Student of the Year finalists Ryan Salzeider, Maria Palazzolo, Connor Davlin, Stephanie Chou and Meghan McClain at the SFLL awards. Bob Bunn is at right. Photo by Courtney Westlake The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln awarded more than $109,000 in scholarships to 57 area students at a […]
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U.S.S. Illinois nuclear sub now under construction
John Hollenbeck, Fred Cook, Koby Johnson and Leonard Wass, chairman of the U.S.S. Illinois’ Commissioning Committee, were on hand to showcase a model of the nuclear submarine at the State Capitol recently to publicize the cutting-edge sub. Photo BY GINNY LEE Members of the new nuclear submarine USS Illinois (SSN-786) Commissioning Committee brought a replica […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
A haven for Japanese maples
David and Gale Myers have some 400 varieties of Japanese Maples and other cultivars at Davidsan’s 22-acre nursery. PHOTO BY GINNY LEE For tree lovers and connoisseurs of Japanese maples in particular, Davidsan’s, at 919 S. Farmingdale Road near New Berlin, is a paradise. David and Gale Myers’ 22-acre tree farm is the largest Japanese […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Folk artist, unassuming and brilliant
ADOLPH GEORGE COLIN Adolph George Colin was born Oct. 12, 1929, in Hollywood, California, to parents of French ancestry. The family made its way to Springfield when he was seven years old, and he graduated from Lanphier High School. His father was a coal miner. After working for the local Pillsbury plant in Springfield for […]
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Annie Leibovitz comes to town
Annie Leibovitz PHOTO BY GINNY LEE Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz herself was in town last week for the opening of her new photography exhibit, “Pilgrimage,” at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. The exhibit features some 70 color photographs from her recent personal work. Known as a photographer of celebrities for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair […]
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The premier downstate political strategist
KEITH LARKIN TAYLOR A host of prominent Illinois politicos attended the July 16 memorial service for Keith Taylor. Among them were Attorney General Lisa Madigan, former Attorney General Neil Hartigan, former Senate President Tom Hynes and his son, former Comptroller Dan Hynes. The younger Hynes gave a moving tribute to Taylor, who had squired Hynes […]
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The story of the Gettysburg Address
A July sunset over South Mountain. Controlling the high ridge was crucial to the Union victory. PHOTO BY ROBERT SHAW A Day Long to Be Remembered: Lincoln in Gettysburg, by Michael Burlingame with photography by Robert Shaw. Published by Firelight Publishing, Heyworth, Ill., in association with John Warner IV, 2013. 220 pages. $34. Photographer Robert […]
