The congressman was a former crack addict. When I heard those words, I was flummoxed. It’s not that I found it difficult to believe that someone in public life had a substance abuse problem. During my 35 years covering politics, I’ve seen politicians drunk while debating legislation. And I’ve seen them holed up in their […]
Scott Reeder
Scott Reeder is a staff writer at Illinois Times.
Posted inNews
A life of service
Paul Palazzolo, a stalwart of Sangamon County Republican politics, told Illinois Times Friday he is stepping down as circuit clerk to become executive director of Kiwanis International. The 57-year-old Springfield native has held public office since 2001, when he was elected to the Springfield Park Board. He has also served as county auditor, treasurer of […]
Posted inOpinion
The whitest profession
Last summer I met my first Black veterinarian. I was accompanying my wife’s colleague to a veterinary conference in North Carolina and we sat down for lunch with a group of other animal doctors. One of them happened to be African American. What’s remarkable about this first-time encounter is that I’m the son and husband […]
Posted inNews
Revitalizing Robin Roberts Stadium
The crack of a bat, the cheer of a crowd and smiles exchanged between a grandparent and child weave a tapestry of memories on Springfield’s north end. But that tapestry is getting frayed and the future of Robin Roberts Stadium is being pondered. Is it a valued amenity or white elephant? Last year, the Lucky […]
Posted inOpinion
What colleges should consider
There is a perception that last month the U.S. Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions. But that is not the case. What it did was end race-conscious admissions. Former first lady Michelle Obama put it this way: “So often we accept that money, power and privilege are perfectly acceptable forms of affirmative action, […]
Posted inNews
Something smells rotten in Rochester
The Rochester village president has denied a liquor license to the business owner that recently evicted his son. At issue is the future of the building that once housed The Alibi, a bar and restaurant at 320 E. Main St. in Rochester. The building’s most recent tenant was Ben Suerdieck, who was evicted June 13 […]
Posted inNews
Study cannabis in college
The University of Illinois Springfield is going to pot. The capital city’s state university has partnered with the online marijuana educator Green Flower to offer a certificate program for students interested in entering management within the cannabis industry. The program, which began in 2020, is geared toward fostering economic development within central Illinois, said Robert […]
Posted inNews
A double standard
Allegations of past racism by the Springfield City Council have cropped up as council members ponder appointing a former council member to a city commission. In 2016, shortly after Gail Simpson had left the council, then-mayor Jim Langfelder sought to appoint her to the city’s Ethics Commission. Simpson, who is Black, said she was told […]
Posted inOpinion
A house divided
Please fill in the blank: “Our Father, who art in heaven, ____ be thy name.” This month, that question came up on the television gameshow “Jeopardy,” and none of the otherwise smart contestants could answer it. The social media universe exploded with indignation. (In case you are wondering, the correct word is “hallowed.”) The Rev. […]
Posted inNews
Civil disagreement
When does good, honest debate end and incivility begin? That’s a question members of the Springfield City Council are asking themselves in the wake of being asked to sign a civility pledge. Mayor Misty Buscher and eight members of the City Council signed the pledge. But council members Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr. and […]
Posted inNews
Bishop Paprocki defends Ugandan government
A newspaper column written by Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki condemning Pride Month and praising a Ugandan law criminalizing homosexual acts has raised the ire of progressive Christians in Springfield. At issue is a June 8 piece in the Catholic Times in which the bishop wrote, “The Catholic Church teaches that pride is the deadliest of […]
Posted inOpinion
When history needs a rewrite
When I was in high school, my Grandma Wanda fought a battle with the American Legion to have a veteran’s marker placed on the grave of her husband’s grandfather. Eventually, the Legion post relented and put a veteran’s stone over John Beckerdite’s earthly remains. What gave the veteran’s organization pause is that John hadn’t served […]
