Letters to the Editor

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — MAKE REPORT PUBLIC The Muni board of trustees was, deservedly, excoriated by members of the theater community last year when they chose to nominate and install Bill Bauser to their board of directors. Bauser, […]

CHANGE OF PLANS? I am confused. I read Scott Reeder’s recent story about the former Chiara Center becoming a trade school with some classic education added (“Rebuilding the Catholic church,” June 6). But is this the same reporter who told us in your pages in 2022 that the Chiara Center was destined to be a […]

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — THINK BIGGER How about a points system for violations (at 3 a.m. bars that have issues)? You are throwing out the baby with the bath water (“City may delay vote on 3 a.m. liquor […]

BIGGER PROBLEMS I find the brouhaha over fescue grass on Lincoln Avenue laughable (“Fight over fescue grass,” May 30). This photo is the house due west of Bernie & Betty’s restaurant on Spring Street. The front porch and front yard are as bad as the east side of the building. I ride my bike all over […]

WORK ON THE BIGGER PICTURE The lack of affordable housing, the deplorable condition of properties, racial disparities in educational outcomes and the labor market are issues that need immediate attention from the city and community leaders (“City launches program to rehab east-side homes,” May 16). The city determines areas such as downtown Springfield, Aristocracy Hill, […]

PRESERVING HISTORY Martha Miller is a Springfield treasure (“Growing old gay,” May 16). Her writing has helped preserve so much Springfield queer history. We owe her a debt of gratitude. Caroline Kionka Springfield PAST INFORMS FUTURE This was an amazing read. It’s wild how perspectives from the past can make us so much more aware […]

TEACH RESPECT I was shocked to read about students at our local schools attacking and threatening teachers (“Not ready to learn,” May 16). While students in my day, 70 years ago, sometimes got into fights between themselves, never was any teacher physically attacked. Respect for authority in today’s world seems to have taken one large […]

NO FAVORS So a guy buys a house for $1 and somehow racks up more than $40,000 in fines – do you expect that debt to ever be paid? That’s why $42,000 was waived by the city’s administrative court (“Twelve years later, vacant house comes full circle,” May 2). Can Illinois Times explain to readers […]

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- CRAZY DRIVERS People already drive like idiots downtown, I can’t wait to see how long it takes for them to figure out these changes (“A new direction: Portions of one-way streets to become two-way,” […]

IT’S THE CITY’S JOB Dean Olsen’s feature on our waste disposal system was very thorough, with many useful thoughts from various leaders in the community (“Talking trash,” April 4). I also appreciated the capsule descriptions of how other similarly sized Illinois cities collect waste, including cost and effectiveness. Springfield is a checkerboard of incorporation, and […]

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- FROM COUNTY BOARD CHAIR Dean Olsen’s recent article on the nationally recognized consultant’s analysis of an expansion to the BOS Center incisively covered a complex subject (“Making downtown Springfield more marketable,” April 11).  The subsequent […]

POINTLESS CHANGE This seems really pointless if the bars in Springfield will still be open until 3 a.m. (“Sangamon County Board to vote on ending 3 a.m. liquor licenses, April 4). You’re just forcing more people into fewer bars. Chaney Lovellette Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes OVERREACTION I live downtown, and while there are isolated incidents, for the […]