Thanks to Michelle Higginbotham and her merry band of protestors, the effort to fight the expansion of freight traffic on the 3rd Street tracks in Springfield is now at fever pitch. Working with the Enos Park Neighborhood Association, DSI, the medical district plus city and county officials this group has done an excellent job of […]
Arts Features
Posted inArts & Culture
Here kitty, kitty, kitty …
Welcome home kitties … Welcome home … Have you heard about the plans for the FOREVER HOME FELINE RANCH? Brenda Barton and friends have formed this 501c3 organization and are working hard raising money to purchase a home and land to provide a ‘forever home’ for cats in need. A primary goal is to eliminate […]
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Speaking of potential and MacArthur Boulevard
As I drove home for lunch today I noticed the electrico workers were high in the air installing traffic lights at Junction Circle and MacArthur Boulevard. Which means an actual extension to I72 can’t be too far away. At last week’s MacArthur Boulevard Business Association meeting Norm Sims (country regional planning director) confirmed that the […]
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Did you say watering holes?
In the last couple of years we lost several of our favorite downtown watering holes (Underground City Tavern, Top of the Hilton, the martini bar – I can’t even remember it’s name! But look, now we have a whole new crop to enjoy. The bar at Bennigan’s (at the Hilton) is doing a great job […]
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Norb’s, we’ve missed you.
Wasn’t it great to hear that Norb Andy’s will reopen in mid October? Even without a kitchen (maybe in the early new year??) those of us with fond memories of times spent in this Springfield version of Cheers! wish Jeremy and Nathan the best of luck. Stay posted here for news of the grand opening […]
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Martinis on the veranda anyone?
Ok, it is actually a smallish patio not a veranda but we’re loving the new outdoor digs at Ross Isaac. What fun to see 12-15 people gathered together under patio umbrellas and twinkling lights on a beautiful summer evening. And now there is a heater too? I tell this must be what heaven is like. […]
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Red, grey and blue bummer
It was disappointing news for anyone who shares a desire to see MacArthur Boulevard return to its former glory. The red, gray and blue facelift to the former Burger King building (OuterPark and MacArthur) will soon formally announce the arrival of yet another cash advance / check cashing business. The neighborhood surely didn’t need it […]
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Creativity rules at the new gallery downtown
After a 24-year dream of opening his own gallery, Norman Calmese is now the owner of Springfield’s newest treasure of the art world. He is also a musician, playwright, artist and teacher. Minor’e Gallery, which opened in March, sits quaintly downtown at 516 E. Monroe, next to Café Brio. The art hub is equipped with […]
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Tearing away the medical mask
Reading Scope, the 16th annual literary magazine of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, uncovered a more human side to the health care system than that to which I have become accustomed. In the last decade I’ve been inundated by red tape and bad experiences as I cared for my son, my 85-year-old mother-in-law and […]
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A show of haunting beauty
Being sedated in a darkness that is so disturbing and beautiful that it makes the viewer comatose is a unique experience. Welcome to the complex mind of Felicia Olin. Her creations will be showing at the Robert Morris Gallery until Sept. 4. Hours of operation for the gallery are Tues-Fri 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. […]
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Muni’s Fiddler another solid production
For fans of live theater in Springfield, attending The Muni’s new production of Fiddler on the Roof is a bit like seeing the James Bond movie Casino Royale — we’ve heard there’s a new guy in the lead role and we’ve seen him in other productions… but we’re not sure how he’ll do as our […]
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Oliver! overcomes slow start
Cast members from the organization’s three upcoming shows cheered wildly as Muni President Flynn Hanners mentioned them in his opening night remarks last Friday. As Hanners spoke, the audience sat before him with balloons and flowers tucked away in preparation for a post-show reception. It was a big crowd full of family and friends — […]
