The news earlier this month that the Illinois AFL-CIO has “deferred” all decisions on legislative and statewide endorsements in the upcoming fall election generated quite a bit of headlines. “Springfield not only failed to advance key priorities, but the process by which legislation was considered fell short of what working people deserve,” a statement by […]
Opinion
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 6/25/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. GREAT ASSET Congratulations, Christian County. This will be awesome for all residents and businesses in the county and surrounding areas (“Area data center updates,” June 11). Don’t let out-of-town carpetbaggers come in and spread lies […]
Posted inJames Krohe Jr.
Cheering an empty stadium
The most interesting news out of Chicago about this year’s World Cup finals is that there isn’t any. We Old Ones remember that Chicago hosted the official opening match of USA ‘94 (watched on TV by an estimated 750 million people) plus a further five games at a sold-out Soldier Field. But even with those […]
Posted inOpinion
The future of our national parks
If recent news coverage has left you concerned about the future of our national parks, historic sites, and public lands you’re not alone. Regardless of what challenges are currently facing the National Park Service, our national parks and the lands and stories they hold are worth supporting. The good news is that there is no […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 6/18/26
CONGRATS TO FLETCHER I was surprised to read of Fletcher “Bud” Farrar’s move from the role of editor, but pleased to know he’s still going to be active in the affairs of Illinois Times and its journalism. I was fortunate to have a few articles published by Bud in IT in the 1970s. Most memorable […]
Posted inRich Miller
Pritzker offers some lobbying advice to Chicago Bears
Gov. JB Pritzker last week squarely placed the responsibility for passing a Chicago Bears stadium bill on the team itself and had some unsolicited lobbying advice for the Bears as he attempted to brush off his own session attendance issues. The governor continued to downplay his own role in passing a stadium or stadium-related bill, […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 6/11
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. VOTERS DIDN’T WANT IT I was the Springfield corporation counsel who represented the city in the McNeil v. City of Springfield Voting Rights Act lawsuit. I believe that there is a factual error in Jim […]
Posted inJames Krohe Jr.
Tree trimming
At night, what sounds like the leaves of Springfield’s street trees rustled by the breeze is really those trees whispering to each other. And the word they say most often is “Langfelder.” When Jim Langfelder became Springfield mayor in 2015, one of his first hires was a city arborist. In 2019 he reinvigorated the city’s […]
Posted inRich Miller
Inside the Bears stadium saga
Six days before the last day of the spring state legislative session, Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) gave me two big reasons why it was so difficult to push a Bears stadium bill across the finish line. Cunningham, as you know, is the chief sponsor of the Senate’s Bears bill. 1. Every stadium-related legislation passed in […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor 06-04-26
GOOD WORK I always knew that The Outlet under Michael Phelon’s leadership would be a success, and this shows that “the proof is in the pudding” (“Early intervention, May 14). Congratulations to the graduates and their mentors. Kathryn Harris Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes DON’T NEED LAND I can think of 1,000 different public buildings that could have […]
Posted inRich Miller
Pappas’ megaprojects “study” not her best work
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas released a “study” last week about the state megaprojects proposal including a new Bears stadium complex that was mostly uncritically received by local news media. But it’s not her best work, to say the least. OK, before we go any further I should say I find corporate tax breaks distasteful […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 5/28/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. NEED MORATORIUM I wish Sangamon County would do the same thing (“Logan County enacts 12-month data center moratorium,” May 22). This mindset of growing the tax base needs to be slapped down. Our local elected […]
