Stacie Lewis

Dating back to 1860s, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were free. As Texas was the most remote […]

Leave it to the librarians to find ways to keep us informed, entertained and engaged during a pandemic. When they had to close their doors to their patrons, they did not skip a beat and immediately began to offer ways to help us continue to discover our world, connect with others and get inspired. While […]

Lincoln Land Community College’s community education program is offering 10 free, noncredit online classes from now until June 30. Once signed up, participants can complete these courses at their own pace within three months. Classes include 12 Steps to a Successful Job Search, Managing Customer Service, Fundamentals of Supervision and Management, Personal Finance, Creating Webpages, […]

The coronavirus has hit small businesses hard, but SCORE’s mentors can help during this difficult time. SCORE is a national network of volunteer, expert business mentors that has been providing resources to business owners since 1964. As a nonprofit organization, it receives support from the U. S. Small Business Administration and relies on the expertise […]

A ghost light is an electric light that is left on the stage of a darkened theater after a show. It typically consists of an exposed bulb in a wire cage on a portable light stand and is usually placed near center stage. Although a ghost light has a practical use in dark, windowless theaters, […]

When you are ready to head out of doors as the spring weather slowly warms into summer, some state parks in central Illinois will be waiting for you, including Sangchris Lake State Park. Operated under the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the park is about 15 miles southeast of Springfield. Native forests of oak, […]

During the heyday of Edwards Place, many people celebrated the ancient spring festival of May Day. The festivities included dancing around the maypole, singing, crowning the queen of May, and cake. Some also practiced the more modern tradition of giving May baskets. The small, handmade baskets were filled with sweets or flowers and left anonymously […]

Downtown Springfield, Inc. will host the final Winter Farmers Market on April 25. Farmers markets are considered essential businesses that should remain open during the pandemic because they are a critical link between local farms and consumers. However, with new social distancing rules in place, shoppers will see some changes to what is expected of […]

For over 45 years the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has led issue advocacy campaigns by allowing environmental organizations to pool their resources and create a higher profile for environmental issues. The IEC represents more than 90 environmental and community organizations, such as the Citizens Utility Board and the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, and […]