Not long after Illinois issued a stay-at-home order in March, my neighbor’s adult children were home, their college and work lives on hold for the moment. Almost every day they were on the driveway or in their yard playing soccer, shooting baskets or drawing chalk art with their younger siblings. It wasn’t clear yet how […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
Pandemic rocks the capital city
The influenza outbreak of 1918 brought the nation to a standstill, and the Springfield area was not immune. One hundred two years ago, the United States was swept into a global influenza epidemic that was called “one of the worst natural disasters in history.” As many as 50 million people died around the world, while […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Overcoming trauma
The first time I met Dana Pfeiffer she picked the place. It was near her home in Pleasant Plains, a combination coffee shop slash auto detailer that employs people with disabilities to help them learn job skills. She wore a bright red hoodie. She was impossible to miss. The moment I stepped inside, she turned […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A hotel to call home
Coronavirus is especially risky when it comes to congregate settings. It spreads easily. Throughout the state there have been clusters of infection at correctional facilities and a nursing home. Some have died. And now, some are grappling with the best way to house survivors of domestic abuse who have left unsafe situations. On April 2, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bicycle dreams
Bicycling? Yes. Of all avocations, riding a bike is, almost beyond dispute, the finest. With endorphins and all, it is as much exercise for the brain as the heart, lungs or legs, a way to solve all the world’s problems while seeing the world. There are as many reasons why as there are riders. For […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Publishing strong
Like everyone else, the staff at Illinois Times has been impacted by the coronavirus crisis. While we’ve all stayed healthy so far, we have family members and friends who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Our business, like so many others, has suffered a significant financial blow as a result of the pandemic. However, unlike the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Lament for live theater
Across the world, and here in our city, stages have gone dark. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Hoogland Center for the Arts LRS Theater witnessed a unique collaboration of the theater community with Springfield Ballet Company in a dance production of Romeo and Juliet. The contributions of a number of actors, plus a […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
regeneration
regeneration
Spring 2020
regeneration is the magazine for active and energetic grownups, looking for a strong second half. We reject the notion that older is weaker or about
finished. This is the re- generation. Resilient. Reinvigorated. Real.
Posted inArts & Culture
Politics and powerlessness
Last July 22, nearly 20 public officials and social service agency providers gathered in a conference room at Scheels, the sporting goods store with a big aquarium, to talk about the homeless. It was a special board meeting of the Heartland Continuum of Care, a consortium of public and private agencies required by the U.S. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Little Love Stories
Millions of words have been written on the subject of love, whether in books, poems, plays or songs. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked Illinois Times’ readers to share their own love stories with us, but in 100 words or less. The responses encompass not only romantic love, but stories of family members, dear […]
Posted inArts & Culture
On target
Ben Thompson grew up on a farm near Buffalo, 15 miles east of Springfield, and graduated from Tri-City High School in 2001. He was a farm boy who knew how to use a gun and a bow and enjoyed all kinds of sports. A talented multisport athlete, he participated in soccer, basketball and track. However, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
For your Valentine
Diane, I have loved you for over 38 years! Looking forward to our next adventures together! Susan Chad Cordani, you are my forever Valentine! All my love! Your wife!! Dear Beverly, being your wife has been the best part of my life. Thanks for all the wonderful memories. Rennea 26 years on 4-20-20!! Love you […]
