Our annual Winter Guide has an overview of holiday happenings around town, a preview of upcoming theater and dance performances, a look back at Christmas celebrations 50 years ago and suggestions on ways that adults and kids alike can give back to the community this season, plus an expanded calendar of holiday activities.
Michelle Ownbey
Michelle Ownbey is the publisher of Illinois Times and Springfield Business Journal.
Posted inNews
Illinois bill ‘decouples’ state, federal taxes, raising revenue and angering businesses
Illinois lawmakers are sending a bill to Gov. JB Pritzker that makes a pair of changes to Illinois’ tax code in response to new federal tax provisions that could reduce state revenue. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget projected last month that Illinois is on track to run a $267 million deficit in fiscal […]
Posted inBest of Springfield - Intro
Best Of Springfield 2025
See the results Every year, we ask our opinionated readers to tell us about their favorite people, places and things in the Springfield area. Over the decades we’ve been doing this, we’ve continued to tweak both the process and the results issue to try to keep things fresh and interesting. While anything food-related typically dominates […]
Posted inNews
Local Journalism Matters
More than 200 people gathered at Pole Barn Chic on Sept. 25 for “A Legacy and Vision: 50 Years of Illinois Times.” Longtime owner Fletcher Farrar recounted the early days of the publication and milestones along the way. Publisher Michelle Ownbey then addressed the future plans, designed to address the community’s need for more local […]
Posted inOpinion
Rep. Fred Crespo kicked out of caucus
House Speaker Chris Welch took the extraordinary actions last week of permanently kicking Rep. Fred Crespo, D- Hoffman Estates out of the House Democratic caucus, stripping him of his legislative staff, removing him from his appropriations committee chair’s position and booting him from the bicameral Legislative Audit Commission. Speaker Welch also suspended a Democratic staffer […]
Posted inNews
Fighting back against Trump
As President Donald Trump marked his first 100 days in office, Gov. JB Pritzker called on Americans to pressure congressional Republicans to oppose Trump’s agenda and highlighted how federal actions are affecting Illinois. He delivered a fiery speech in New Hampshire, continuing to raise his national profile while still downplaying speculation that he will run for president in 2028. Meanwhile, […]
Posted inNews
Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem a no-show at Governor’s Mansion
On Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Secretary Kristi Noem would be visiting Springfield the following morning to tout her “Making America Safe Again” agenda and speak out against Gov. JB Pritzker’s immigration policies and Illinois’ status as a sanctuary state. No time or location for her press conference was publicized, but […]
Posted inNews
A legacy and a vision
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Illinois Times, a remarkable achievement for a locally owned, independent publication. Over the past few decades, changing trends in readership and advertising have led to steep declines in the number of newspapers nationwide, with the pandemic only accelerating the demise of many publications. Northwestern University’s Medill School of […]
Posted inOpinion
Two setbacks for Gov. JB Pritzker
Two major proposals backed by Gov. JB Pritzker did not advance out of legislative committees before last week’s passage deadline. Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton confirmed that she won’t be advancing her legislation supported by the governor that would dissolve townships with populations below 5,000 (SB2217), and eventually abolish townships with populations below 50,000 and lower […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Alto Nights gives De Niro a dual role, Magazine Dreams a gripping story, Black Bag clever espionage tale
Dual De Niro’s a Knights asset There’s an unfortunate gimmick hanging over Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights, a gangster chronicle that covers a heretofore unexamined chapter in mob history, at least where the movies are concerned. Two-time Oscar-winner Robert De Niro takes on the dual roles of rival gangsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. One […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
The Wedding Issue
More than 40% of engagements in the U.S. occur between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, so this is the time of year many couples are starting to plan their weddings. We talked to area business owners involved in the wedding industry to find out the latest trends. An increasing number of people are looking beyond traditional […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Joan Bortolon receives First Citizen Award
The First Citizen Award committee has selected Joan Bortolon as the 62nd recipient of the Springfield area’s prestigious First Citizen Award. As board president of the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, Bortolon has played an instrumental role in honoring local veterans by providing them with memorable, no-cost trips to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials […]
