Letters to the Editor

WHO’S WHO?I am trying to identify the organization or reason this photo was snapped in Springfield in 1923. Only the date is on the back. I think I have identified it as being a convention of the Knights of Lithuania as I have another later group photo (much less dramatic) with the same badges that […]

More than 100 folks came out to Washington Park May 10 to support a new Washington Dog Park. The event brought in $3,100. PHOTO COURTESY FACEBOOK.COM/SPRINGFIELD.PHOTOS   SHAKE A PAW, VOTEWe need your help to vote for Springfield, Illinois, in the Bark For Your Park Contest. The winner will win $100,000 to build a PetSafe […]

Toni Hoy speaks to lawmakers during a legislative hearing on a bill to end “planned abandonment” of adopted children who need intensive care for emotional disturbances. Photo BY PATRICK YEAGLE HELP OUT OF REACH Thank you to Toni Hoy for all her hard work and efforts in the struggle to prohibit the Department of Children […]

The beds of homeless people are inches apart at one of the city’s homeless shelters. PHOTO BY ADAM SMITH ON THE STREETSIn the article “Telling their stories” (April 24), Patrick Yeagle did a marvelous job portraying the story and my documentary, Untold Stories: Conversations with the Homeless. In both photography and videography, it is our […]

The sixth annual Take Back the Night march in 2013 at the University of Illinois Springfield. Photo by Shannon O’Brien/UIS. TAKE BACK THE NIGHT The University of Illinois Springfield Women’s Center and Residence Life will hold the seventh annual Take Back The Night march and rally Friday, April 25 beginning at 7:30 p.m. The candlelight […]

Cities around the country have been struggling with the rising cost of road repair. PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION ROAD REPAIR FAIRNESSEnjoyed the article by Lauren Duncan (“Pay at the pump, fix the roads,” April 10) regarding raising the gasoline tax to raise more money for roads. I am not sure that raising taxes is […]

Abraham Lincoln and 15-year incumbent Stephen Douglas battled for one of Illinois’ two U.S. Senate seats in 1858. Douglas won though Lincoln would beat him two years later in a nomination for the presidency. MORE TO CIVIL WAR You deserve credit for attempting to address the causes of the Civil War in your column (“Prince […]

In observance of National Sunshine Week last week, which celebrates the values of open government and freedom of information, our cover story examined Springfield city government’s penchant for secrecy and closed doors. Springfield Mayor Mike Houston pictured in illustration. PHOTOSHOP ILLUSTRATION BY JOE COPLEY CONFUSED BY MAYOR I helped elect Mayor Houston. He had experience […]

Sunshine Week, March 16-22 this year, is a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know what its government is doing, and why. PUBLIC REMARKS CUT OFF The Open […]

According to the U.S. Postal Service 2013 Annual Report to Congress, the USPS had a net loss for the last three years and went from 557, 251 career employees in 2011 to 491,017 in 2013. ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS WARE/MCT WOE IS MAILPlaudits to Mr. Hightower! His article, (“Don’t close our post offices,” March 6), is […]

Chicago millionaire Bruce Rauner surpasses this year’s other gubernatorial candidates in fundraising by a long shot. ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS BRITT REQUIRED READINGLauren P. Duncan’s takeout story, “Cash helps Rauner climb” (Feb. 27), ought to be required reading for everybody who votes in this month’s Republican primary, probably the November election too. It’s a balanced, objective […]