The Memorial Day weekend is a time when we remember and honor the dedication and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the service of our country. Coincidentally, this past weekend observant Christians and Jews both marked special occasions on their respective religious calendars. Jews, this past Friday and Saturday, observed the festival of […]
Arts & Culture
Posted inArts & Culture
Bella Szabo interview
Bella Szabo, executive director of the Springfield Area Arts Council, joins The Mosaic Project for a conversation about creativity in a changing world. From the rise of AI-generated art to the community impact of the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series, Bella explores what it means to keep art human, accessible, and rooted in connection. It’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
More than tea: A culture of whimsy
There’s something quite transformative happening inside Whimsy Tea Company; and it has very little to do with the inventory on the shelves. It’s a warmth you can feel the moment you walk in. The walls are lined with local art, each one telling its own unique story. Exotic aromatic teas line the shelves for guests […]
Posted inFilm
Grogu is lazy and redundant, Ryan accomplishes its mission as thriller
Grogu stultifyingly dull I remember as a child, while playing with either my army men or action figures, the scenarios I would make up for them were pretty simple. A fight would take place and then a chase, followed by another fight with maybe the arrival of another figure and then another fight and … […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Have jokes, will travel
Cassandra Simpson has been performing as a stand-up comedian in Springfield for three years. For two of those years, she was the host for The Wakery’s open mic, but that gig came to an end when the venue closed its doors in August of 2025. The end of the downtown venue left aspiring local comics […]
Posted inBooks
Abraham Lincoln as party boss
Matthew Pinsker, Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln. W.W. Norton, 2026; 564 pp., notes, index, illustrations. $39.99. Many of the thousands of books about Abraham Lincoln are specialized to some degree, rather than full biographies. Topics may be very narrow or quite broad, but still are focused on some specific aspect of Lincoln’s […]
Posted inIT Picks
Organizers plan antiracism workshop
Advancing the calls to action: From community insight to accountability and implementation | Sat., May 30, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | BOS Center This workshop is aimed at empowering justice-oriented organizations and individuals interested in understanding systemic racism. According to organizers, it will “focus on the use of antiracism principles and methods in support of the […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Sacred faces, sacred voices
The Vatican’s World Day of Social Communications was last Sunday, May 17. Next Sunday, May 24, is Pentecost. There is a lot to think about there. The Sunday before Pentecost was purposely chosen by Pope St. Paul VI in 1967 as the date for this observance when “social communication” meant television, radio and print, and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
From India to Springfield
Many social media congratulatory comments posted upon the conclusion of the Naturalization Ceremony at the Illinois State Fair on Aug. 13, 2025, were meant for each one of the immigrants who at that time became America’s newest citizens. The congratulations were extended to every one of the nearly 400 people from over 70 countries, including […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ashwin Manivannan interview
From India to American citizenship, Ashwin Manivannan shares his deeply personal journey through the immigration and naturalization process. In this episode, he talks about what it meant to leave home, navigate the long road to citizenship, and face the challenges, uncertainties and sacrifices along the way. It’s a conversation about identity, perseverance, belonging and what […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Women for Women awards $70,000 to area nonprofits
Women for Women awarded a record-breaking $70,000 in grants to three local nonprofits during its 18th Annual Grant Reception on Wednesday, May 13, recognizing organizations addressing some of central Illinois’ most pressing challenges facing women and children. This year’s grants will support programs focused on childhood food insecurity, family support services, and care for children […]
