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. […]
Scott Reeder
Scott Reeder is a staff writer at Illinois Times.
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 […]
Posted inOpinion
Life with vets
Folks often ask me, “What’s it like to be married to a veterinarian?” My response: “Well, not all that different from being the son of one.” You see, I’ve been blessed with two veterinarians in my life – my father and my wife. I was reflecting on this familiar anomaly as I recently watched the […]
Posted inNews
The sky’s the limit
To combat a national shortage of aircraft mechanics, the Federal Aviation Administration has given Lincoln Land Community College a $500,000 grant. “We earmarked over half of that money to be for student support: tuition, books and tools. We’re also helping them pay for their testing that they’ll do upon graduation,” said Nancy Sweet, dean of […]
Posted inNews
Fired library managers speak out
Summer Beck-Griffith was told the mayor wants to take the Lincoln Library in a different direction when she was notified of her firing earlier this month. But in the wake of her dismissal, by newly elected Mayor Misty Buscher, Beck-Griffith remains perplexed as to just what that “new direction” might be for the capital city’s […]
Posted inOpinion
When pregnancy is treated as a problem
Are you pregnant? Are you planning to get pregnant? Are you in a relationship? I squirmed uncomfortably as my boss asked these questions to a finalist for a job opening. I’d identified the person as a promising journalist, but he wanted to do the final screening. The questions he asked had little to do with […]
Posted inNews
A controversial purchase
After spending $1.2 million on a new firetruck, the city of Springfield found out it is one inch too tall to fit under the viaduct near the main fire station. Once they discovered the problem, rank-and-file firefighters were sounding the alarm. “It’s too tall to fit under the Capitol Avenue underpass. So, anytime we have […]
Posted inNews
Pilot training program coming to Springfield
Southern Illinois University is planning to create a pilot training facility at Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport that eventually may instruct more than 100 students, Illinois Times has learned. The Carbondale-based aviation program confirmed Monday that the school is indeed considering such a facility for the capital city but said it is still in the […]
Posted inOpinion
When corruption is legal
The worst kind of graft is perfectly legal. I’ve been thinking about that these past few weeks as revelations are brought forth about gifts U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas received from a rich buddy. Let me preface my criticisms of the jurist by saying I often agree with his decisions. But that doesn’t absolve […]
Posted inOpinion
Common-sense gun reforms needed
When I read about four adults and one child being killed last month in a shooting rampage in Cleveland, Texas, I just cringed. We live in a society where gun violence has become commonplace. Mass shootings have become weekly occurrences. During the first 18 weeks of 2023, our nation experienced 19 shootings that have each […]
