A 35-year-old ordinance could affect 162 home daycare providers in Springfield and the parents who depend on them–if the city decides to enforce it. Recently the city has held planning and zoning meetings to address one citizen’s complaint about a home daycare business. The citizen had already singled out a statute regarding home businesses, which […]
Traci Moyer
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“Smoking should be made very inconvenient”
His name was Johnny. He had dark auburn hair and was good-looking in a rugged way. A former military man, Johnny was 42 and married. He had two sons, ages 10 and 12. In 1968, one week after Dr. Glennon Paul arrived at the VA hospital in Seattle, Johnny died of lung cancer. Paul was […]
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Up in Smoke
Tobacco companies have paid Illinois more than $930 million so far to settle a lawsuit the state brought to recoup expenses it incurred to treat smoking-related illnesses. But instead of using that money to fund health care or to help citizens to stop smoking, Illinois has filtered the money into a multitude of unrelated projects. […]
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It can’t happen here
The smell of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls wafts enticingly inside Dagwood’s Deli. Leaning against the restaurant’s counter, owner Tim Spengler smiles and says, “Just by standing here I can tell you who smokes and who doesn’t when they walk through that door.” Outside that door is where all the cigarettes are left. Spengler won’t allow customers […]
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Dr. Elamin Elamin
Dr. Elamin Elamin came to Illinois from Egypt 16 years ago. He is now director of the Critical Care Division of Pulmonary Medicine at Southern Illinois University’s School of Medicine. In 1999 he joined millions of Muslims on the spiritual pilgrimage known as the Hajj. The pilgrimage is one of five Pillars of Islam, and […]
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“I Saw You”
Fairy tales usually have happy endings, especially the ones involving love at first sight. Cinderella and Snow White both snared their princes with just one look. It would seem only fitting if the following story ends as happily. To protect this subject’s privacy, we’ll call our prince “Lance.” Readers might know him better as the […]
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Parole officer
Nancy Bowman, 45, has been a parole officer for 13 years. Originally from Salisbury, North Carolina, she relocated to the Springfield area after graduating from Southern Illinois University. Last week she spoke with writer Traci Moyer about her career choice. She sat in a high-backed chair, which dwarfed her petite five-foot-two-inch frame. Her soft Southern […]
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Front yard runners
Beth Ross’s lawn is attracting double takes. While most of her neighbors have planted signs touting their favorite mayoral candidates, Ross’s yard looks like it belongs to someone who’s proud to remain undecided: It has side-by-side signs for Tim Davlin and Tony Libri. “It’s made for a good conversation piece,” Ross says with a laugh. […]
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Stop the music?
When Ken Duffy took over Walko Music Co. in 1980, the store had been renting band instruments to Springfield schools for 25 years. But last semester Duffy saw a “25 percent” drop in his rental business. The decline will become even more drastic if District 186 continues to cut funds to band programs. That outrages […]
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On guard
Springfield’s oldest crossing guard, Herman Hamilton, works down the block from Dubois Elementary School. He directs traffic at the corner of Monroe and Lincoln while puffing on an ever-present pipe. On Valentine’s Day, Hamilton bought an exact number of suckers for every child on his watch. He handed out the candy as he talked to […]
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Homeland Insecurity
Before the United States was thrown into uncertainty and grief on September 11, 2001, Springfield residents were the target of a terrorist attack. In the spring of 2001, only months before the World Trade Center tragedy, a group of terrorists were discovered on the Illinois Sate Fairgrounds during a defense department exercise. They were mixing […]
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Food and Fun
For most of the past two decades Illinois Times has asked readers what they like most about Springfield. And each year hundreds of you are more than eager to tell us. This year is no different. About 500 of you filled out our ballots and told us about your favorite places, people, and things to […]
