UIS environmental science students are conducting research to determine how people’s recreational use of Lake Springfield is impacting the environment. They’ve documented that cigarette butts and fishing line are the most widespread types of litter at popular fishing sites along the lake. In June alone they collected 2,841 littered cigarette butts and about 2.6 miles […]
Karen Ackerman Witter
Karen Ackerman Witter started freelance writing after a 35-year career in state government holding various senior leadership positions. Prior to retiring she was associate director of the Illinois State Museum for 14 years. She is the past president of the Kidzeum Board of Directors and is an active volunteer with the Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise, Women for Women giving circle of the Community Foundation, NPR Illinois and other community organizations.
Posted inSpecial Issues
Buzz at reopened Kidzeum
Kidzeum reopened July 3 after a 16-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and things have been buzzing. Children rushed to climb Active Alex, splashed in the water table and searched for queen cells in the observation beehive. “Real bees? That’s so cool!” one girl squealed in delight upon seeing the buzzing beehive. Children’s museums […]
Posted inOpinion
Artists sing and dance to promote vaccinations
Artists throughout Illinois are using their creative talents to encourage people to get vaccinated. Through an initiative of Arts Alliance Illinois, invited artists of all genres are receiving stipends to design powerful messages in unique formats. The Springfield Area Arts Council (SAAC), a member of Arts Alliance Illinois, is a local partner. Sheila Walk, SAAC […]
Posted inNews
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered
Looking for a good book to read? Something other than a best seller? Springfield’s Lincoln Library is here to help. A group of reference librarians contribute to writing a book review blog with 200-word reviews. Their goal is to share the joy of reading and help people find new things to read that they might […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Memories of a state government insider
Zack Stamp’s 2021 memoir, Things as I Remember Them, provides insights to the inner workings of state government. Political junkies and anyone who worked in and around state government over the past several decades will recognize many familiar names peppered throughout his entertaining stories. Stamp worked inside state government for nearly 40 years. He worked […]
Posted inNews
Saving blue ash trees
Tens of millions ash trees have died across a large part of the U.S. due to the emerald ash borer, according to University of Illinois Extension. The emerald ash borer was first found in Illinois in the Chicago area in 2006. More than 99 percent of infected ash trees have died. Trees infested with the […]
Posted inNews
The Big Read made us grow and thrive
Kudos to the LLCC Academy of Lifelong Learning for sponsoring the NEA Big Read Sangamon County. As one participant said, “This has been a good project to have during this pandemic. We have needed something to take our minds to another place…. This whole thing has really been expansive for me.” The organizers distributed 1,235 […]
Posted inNews
Strategizing against homelessness
Josh Sabo believes in the inherent dignity and worth of every person. He learned this while serving in ministry. Sabo was at Central Baptist Church for 15 years, including eight years as lead pastor, before devoting his energies to tackle homelessness in Springfield. He is the coordinator of Heartland Continuum of Care, which recently launched […]
Posted inNews
Punctuation mark patent approved
Abraham Lincoln may be Springfield’s most famous citizen to hold a patent. But, can Lincoln’s patent hold a candle to Dr. Eli Goodman’s patent of The Rhetoricon “The Rhetoricon punctuation mark is used at the end of a sentence, phrase, statement or comment that is both rhetorical and sarcastic; with or without a sense of […]
Posted inNews
“The Next Ten” visioning plan
Months in the making and based on extensive grass-roots community input, the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln is releasing the next 10 – a community visioning plan for greater Springfield. The plan will be unveiled at the May 28 Citizen’s Club meeting (8 a.m. Hoogland Center for the Arts). It identifies 10 broad […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Creative Reuse Marketplace store opens June 2
The Creative Reuse Marketplace (CRM) store, opening June 2 in downtown Springfield, is not your typical store. If you’re an artist, teacher, scrapbooker, hobbyist, creative individual or enjoy making things with your kids or grandkids, this place is for you. Yarn, fabric, colorful plastic pieces, metal parts, ribbon, jewelry, cards, bottle caps, leftover widgets and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
It’s a long way from Guyana to Springfield
June Wood Agamah moved to Springfield in 1995 with her husband, Dr. Edem Agamah, and their three young daughters. It’s a long way from her Guyana homeland – where she was called Caryl. Edem was born in Ghana. Frequently Americans assume they are from the same country. They were born nearly 4,000 miles and an […]
