“The morale has been challenging. It’s shocking,” Sangamon County Department of Public Health director Gail O’Neill said of the situation at a nursing home in Sherman. Earlier this week, the most county cases in a single day were announced – more than 40. Most represented people at the nursing home. “It’s disheartening and sad,” said […]
Rachel Otwell
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Groceries to go
Not everyone has the privilege of paying extra for grocery delivery. But health experts are telling us, especially those older and the immune compromised, to limit public exposure. So many are turning to online shopping for pick-up and delivery options. “Online grocery currently comprises a small portion of grocery overall but is on a rapid […]
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Springfield’s ERA battle stars in new TV series
“I’d like to burn you at the stake.” Considered a mother of the women’s liberation movement, Peoria native Betty Friedan spoke those words to Phyllis Schlafly during a 1973 talk show appearance and subsequent debate at Illinois State University in Bloomington. Schlafly’s name still elicits a strong reaction in Illinois and national politics. Love her […]
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More than half of residents at Sherman nursing home infected
Sangamon County is reporting 41 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, the most ever in a single day. Of those, 37 are affiliated with The Villas Senior Care Community in Sherman, according to a county spokesperson. There were 40 new confirmed cases announced Tuesday in total from the nursing home. 17 residents of the nursing home […]
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A candle for each lost life
It was a stark sight. Tiffany Mathis sat on the steps of the Abraham Lincoln statue, in front of the capitol building in Springfield. She was surrounded by 1,933 candles as she sang You’ve Got a Friend by James Taylor. Each candle represented a person in Illinois who died after being infected with the new […]
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Gov. extends stay-at-home rules
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced an extension of the stay-at-home mandate, with some changes. Many of the same rules will remain in place through the end of May, though some businesses such as greenhouses will be allowed to open. Other retailers are allowed to re-open so that staff can work on online orders and answering phones. […]
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Tattoo artists have time
Brian McCormic was in the middle of smoking a chicken outdoors when I called him on a weekday afternoon. He took a long polite pause in the conversation for a garbage truck to go by. Not much is being rushed these days. McCormic’s friends have joked that it took a pandemic for him to finally […]
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Making history
The Illinois State Museum in Springfield is setting its sights on how to retain the historical impact of the new coronavirus. Previous planned exhibits and events have been canceled as a result of efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus. But the museum is forging ahead in a new direction. “We want to hear […]
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Moving Pillsbury Forward, inches at a time
Asbestos, arson and a dead dog. The things Pillsbury Mills are now known for are a far cry from its origins. “Pillsbury was a fantastic company,” said John Keller, president of the Pillsbury Mills Neighborhood Association. “They wanted to be a good neighbor. And most of the neighborhood worked over there at the time, that […]
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American Harvest restaurant closes chapter
“Nine years ago today, two bright, optimistic 23-year-old chefs set out on a mission to create a restaurant very different from anything else in Springfield.” So began an announcement from chef Aurora Coffey about the decision to shut down American Harvest Eatery as it has been known for nearly a decade. Of course, the restaurant […]
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In-person school’s out
Gov. JB Pritzker announced all k-12 schools, public, private and parochial, throughout the state will remain closed to in-person classes through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. “I’ve said time and time again, our decisions must follow the science and the science says our students can’t go back to their normal routine this school […]
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Sangamon County officials announce fourth coronavirus death
A fourth person in Sangamon County has died after being infected with the new coronavirus, according to a release sent on behalf of the county health department and area hospitals. The HSHS St. John’s Hospital inpatient who died was a male in his 90s who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 16. Of the three […]
