Springfield native Matthew Brookens has written, produced, directed and starred in “Illinois Hell Hole,” a project he describes as a “two-hour, fully scored horror-comedy audio drama.” This oddball extravaganza is scheduled to air on NPR Illinois (91.9 FM) in three parts Oct. 28-30 and promises to be a uniquely flavored Halloween treat, with spooky humor […]
Scott Faingold
Scott Faingold is a journalist, educator and musician. He has been director of student media at University of Illinois Springfield, founding editor of Activator magazine, a staff reporter for Illinois Times and co-host of Old School Bleep, a music-centered podcast.
Posted inMusic Features
From Star Wars to the prairie state
This Friday, Oct. 10, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra begins its 2025-2026 season with a program of “Star Wars Greatest Hits.” The pops concert featuring John Williams’ soaring scores to the popular space opera continues in the vein of recent well-received programs featuring music from classic cartoons and the Harry Potter films, but it also acts […]
Posted inNews
CWLP adds more solar
Last month, the Springfield City Council approved CWLP’s proposal for a new solar contract. CWLP will enter into a 25-year agreement with Sangamon Solar to spend $13 million to purchase 25 megawatts of energy and capacity, with plans to utilize a new 100-megawatt, 750-acre solar installation to be built to the south of Chatham. The […]
Posted inNews
County Market to permanently close pharmacies
The pharmacies in all three of Springfield’s remaining County Market locations, as well as one in Chatham, will permanently close as of June 12. All ongoing prescriptions have been purchased by CVS. Customers will be able to fill their prescriptions at any CVS location in Springfield, according to a spokesperson for Quincy-based Niemann Foods, which […]
Posted inNews
UIS faculty union seeks new round of bargaining
The UIS United Faculty union (UIS-UF) officially filed a demand on April 14 to bargain with University of Illinois Springfield administration for a new contract. There are 152 faculty members represented by the union, which is part of University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100. A press release from UIS-UF calls the latest demand “a […]
Posted inMusic
ISO’s percussive, significant finale
The Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 season came to a close on May 3 with an energetic and highly rhythmic performance, which in some ways may signify the end of an era. The University of Illinois Springfield Performing Arts Center, where the ISO has performed in Springfield for many years, will be closed for 15 months […]
Posted inNews
A bill to boost beer breweries
A bill currently being considered by the General Assembly is aimed at making life easier – and more profitable – for small craft beer companies throughout the state. “The majority of Illinois liquor law is pretty much from the 1930s, like Prohibition era,” said Brent Schwoerer, owner, founder and brewmaster at Springfield’s Engrained Brewing Co. […]
Posted inNews
Hope Springs eternal for Enos Park housing project
The Springfield City Council unanimously approved a zoning change April 15 that will allow for construction of a housing complex to serve residents with physical and/or mental disabilities. The new facility, slated to be built at 849 N. Ninth St. on the eastern edge of the Enos Park neighborhood, would be an expansion of ongoing […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A high-octane night for the ISO
“His hands look like they’re possessed,” whispered a man sitting near me during the performance by piano virtuoso Aristo Sham at the Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s concert at the UIS Auditorium last Friday, Feb. 7. There was indeed something preternatural about Sham’s playing, with rapturous glissandos and indelible melodies emanating from fingers that seemed to dance […]
Posted inMusic
Impressive Impressions
The audience assembled this past Friday, Nov. 8, for “Paris Impressions,” the second concert in the Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s new season, was treated to an audacious and vibrant time capsule of early 20th century Paris. Guest conductor Alastair Willis, who served as music director of ISO from 2012-2015, presented an engaging and thrilling evening of […]
Posted inMusic
Symphony season launches with energy and purpose
After two seasons of flux following the departure of longtime music director and conductor Ken Lam, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra began a triumphant new era with the “Festive Fanfare” concert at the UIS Performing Arts Center on Friday, Oct. 18. Maestro Taichi Fukumura made his debut as new music director with excitement and aplomb, presenting […]
Posted inNews
Citizens want a voice in CWLP
Springfield’s City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) is the largest municipally owned utility in Illinois. Local citizen activists with Sustainable Springfield, the Sierra Club and the Faith Coalition for the Common Good are seeking an approach that would, among other measures, include citizen involvement in decision-making for CWLP. This could take the form of a […]
