Letters to the Editor

EXELON INVASIONThis is a crucial week for the future of the Taylorville Energy Center, as a Senate vote to approve the project is expected. While our focus is on Springfield, the enormous forces against the project have attracted national attention. We are in the fight of our life against a huge opponent that will spend […]

THE REAL ARMYI read with great interest the Illinois Times’ article on Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and their recent visit to Springfield [see “Iraq vets urge end to multiple deployments,” Dec. 23]. I have served in the Army for five years, and am still on active duty. My service has taken me to […]

DRIVE-UP LIQUOR Have you ever wondered why Springfield is the only major city (pop. over 100,000) in the State of Illinois that still allows drive-up liquor window sales? Or how about the fact that someone who’s driving on a revoked driver’s license can still legally purchase liquor at a drive-up window? In other words, if […]

EXPENSIVE TRAIN RIDE It is astounding that the $427-$516 million cost of full consolidation on 10th Street is more than one-third of the $1.2 billion in “high-speed rail” federal stimulus funding received by Illinois [see “Tracks on 10th” by Patrick Yeagle, Dec. 9]. That doesn’t leave much left over for the upgrading the rest of […]

JUSTICE FOR JUVENILESWhen I was inducted in June as president of the Illinois State Bar Association, I made a commitment to work closely with our association members to reform our woefully inadequate juvenile justice system. Sadly, our state spends far more annually to incarcerate youth (a staggering $100 million) than it does on youth prevention […]

ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTYIt is time for Illinois to abolish the death penalty. In addition to being against many major religious traditions, the death penalty is a violation of common sense. When we know the death penalty doesn’t deter crime, costs millions more than any other punishment, and risks that we will kill an innocent […]

SOUTHWIND BLOWS ON ZOOHow sad that the Henson Robinson zoo has become so run down [see “It’s a zoo out here,” by Rachel Wells, Nov. 18]. When the word was out about Southwind Park a few years ago, I had mixed emotions. One, what a great addition to the park system. But that was offset […]

FREEDOM OF (SOME) INFORMATION?How quickly we forget. In the wake of scandal and corruption at the highest levels of government, Illinois lawmakers passed a law in 2009 bolstering the Freedom of Information Act – a move designed to give everyday people access to important government information. This year, however, lawmakers are having second thoughts and […]

DEEP WATERI enjoyed the article by Rachel Wells on biologist Susan Steingraber’s book and new documentary [See “Documentary targets toxic chemicals” by Rachel Wells, Oct. 28]. Living Downstream takes on the significant and timely issue of a “toxic trespass” against society. Steingraber focuses on PCBs, while my project, Deep Water, focuses on tetra-ethyl lead – […]

BEWARE LAME DUCKSGambling interests and lawmakers are working behind closed doors on a massive expansion of gambling that includes video gambling/slot machines at racetracks, a land-based casino in Chicago (twice the size of other casinos), 800 more gambling positions at existing casinos, and casinos in Lake County and Danville. This proposal could triple the amount […]

SPRINGFIELD’S FUTURE Your article on Sen. Bill Brady [see “The cost of Brady’s plan,” by Patrick Yeagle, Oct. 28] hammers at budget cuts Springfield might suffer if he is elected. The budget is out of control, period. Illinois, including Springfield, needs to cut its budget like families and businesses do when money is scarce. I […]

DONORS FIRST Ryan Louis was very lucky to get a heart transplant [see “Springfield man celebrates 25 years with transplanted heart,” by Patrick Yeagle, Oct. 14]. There are now more than 108,000 people on the National Transplant Waiting List, with more than 50 percent of these people dying before they get a transplant. Most of […]