A $500,000 gift is being used to transform the lives of young people in Springfield who want to learn a trade. What is now known as The Frank and Linda Vala Dream Center of Sangamon County is located in Dawson Hall on the former Springfield campus of Benedictine University that once housed Ursuline Academy. The […]
Scott Reeder
Scott Reeder is a staff writer at Illinois Times.
Posted inOpinion
The secret to a good marriage
A stream of more than 30 cars and trucks roared down the dirt road, honking their horns and then stopping at our farmhouse just south of Galesburg. Don Swedlund, the dairy farmer down the road, got out and hollered, “We’re having a shivaree!” For the uninitiated, a shivaree is a rural matrimonial custom where the […]
Posted inNews
A new direction for Springfield
Springfield Mayor-elect Misty Buscher, who denied incumbent Jim Langfelder a third four-year term with her almost 800-vote margin, pledged April 4 to govern in a bipartisan manner but made a point of thanking the 14 labor unions that helped push her over the top. “Those unions made a difference,” she told an enthusiastic crowd of […]
Posted inNews
SHS teacher fights for his life
Not long ago, K.J. Reid, a popular Springfield High School science teacher, was teaching youngsters about medical procedures; today he is in Springfield Memorial Hospital missing his arms and legs. “He teaches medical interventions – the cutting edge of technology when it comes to medicine. Unfortunately, it’s what he’s experiencing right now,” said Amy Weller, […]
Posted inOpinion
Man vs. machine
I refuse to use self-checkout lanes at the grocery store. This isn’t a new thing; I just don’t like the technology. It’s not that I find it too complicated. My objection is that when I use it, I’m contributing to someone losing their job. Low-skill, repetitive jobs like those of checkout clerks are on the […]
Posted inNews
United Airlines departing Springfield
In the wake of United Airlines’ decision to no longer serve Springfield, travelers flying to Chicago will likely pay more for their airfare, an economist specializing in air travel told Illinois Times. When United leaves June 1, the only major commercial carrier serving Springfield will be American Airlines. “American will be the monopolist at your […]
Posted inNews
Deadly withdrawal
Brian Downs wasn’t just a person with an addiction; he was a loving son, a hard worker, a devoted brother, a good friend. His mother, Julie Downs, wants people to know this about her son, who died April 25, 2022, in the Morgan County Jail of complications related to heroin withdrawal. “Too often people are […]
Posted inOpinion
A green burial
“They’ll make fun of me and give me a goofy name.” That was my mother’s reaction to the notion of her body being donated to a medical school for students to dissect. I was a bit surprised by the vehemence she expressed against the idea. After all, she was a registered nurse married to a […]
Posted inNews
United Airlines canceling service to Springfield
Beginning June 1, United Airlines will no longer serve Springfield, Mark Hanna, executive director of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, told Illinois Times Saturday. “We’re very disappointed to learn that United, our hometown airline, has decided to discontinue service to the Illinois state capital,” he said. “We understand the decision was really based on a lack […]
Posted inOpinion
When the claws come out
As lawmakers debated a bill this month to outlaw cat declawing, I couldn’t help thinking sometimes the best intended legislation can have disappointing consequences. The legislation pits two well-intentioned groups against one another: animal rights activists and veterinarians. Members of both groups love animals and want what they believe is best for them. But their […]
Posted inNews
“Willing to listen”
Misty Buscher isn’t just running against an incumbent; she’s challenging a dynasty. The Springfield city treasurer wants to replace Jim Langfelder as Springfield’s mayor. When she first announced her bid against the two-term incumbent, political prognosticators were skeptical, but after far out-fundraising her opponent and private polling showing the race in a dead heat, those […]
Posted inNews
Debt forgiveness becomes a campaign issue
In recent weeks, Mayor Jim Langfelder’s opponents have focused their criticism on the administration’s deals to write off city debts without council approval or public knowledge. First the decision to forgive $243,000 in CWLP charges to Wyndham City Centre came to light, and then Illinois Times reported that $42,000 in fines incurred by politically connected […]
