For archaeologist Robert Mazrim, director of the Sangamo Archaeological Center in Elkhart, last weekend’s dig in downtown Springfield was simply another revelation of Illinois’ all-but-forgotten prairie past. But for city historians Curtis Mann and Linda Garvert, every turn of the trowel was nothing less than a miracle. The site was Second and Jefferson streets, the […]
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Electric shock
Long plagued by malfunctions, fines, and shutdowns, the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant petitioned the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year to increase its generating capacity by 20 percent. But more surprising, its owners have asked the NRC to approve plans to build a new advanced reactor at the site, which is located about 45 miles […]
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The incredible shrinking talk show hosts
Jim Leach was just a youngster, no older than eight, when he saw Bob Murray doing a radio broadcast in front of the K-Mart on Clear Lake. Murray had a portable deejay booth–turntables and microphone–and little Leach was instantly enthralled. He realized he now had the answer to every adult’s favorite question, “Hey kid, what […]
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People, Places, Goofing Off
Oddest LandmarkHilton Hotel 700 E. Adams, 789-1530 1. Deviating from what is ordinary, usual or expected; strange or peculiar. In defining the word “odd,” the American Heritage Dictionary could have used a photo of the Springfield Hilton. The hotel is modern and well-run, but over the last 30 years nearly everyone has wondered why it […]
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Food and Fun
For most of the past two decades Illinois Times has asked readers what they like most about Springfield. And each year hundreds of you are more than eager to tell us. This year is no different. About 500 of you filled out our ballots and told us about your favorite places, people, and things to […]
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Bully pulpit
Bullying in schools is on the rise, according to Christopher Mulrine, a professor of education at Blackburn College in Carlinville. One in five students are bullied before they graduate from high school, and 84 percent of homosexual high school students report being harassed on a regular basis. Mulrine spoke about bullying in schools last week […]
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The Sallengers get their day in court
The Andrew Sallenger case is about to move from street protests to the federal courthouse. Mary Sallenger, whose mentally-ill son Andrew died hours after a struggle with Springfield police officers last year, filed a civil suit in federal court April 25, charging seven defendants with responsibility for her son’s death. The defendants are the City […]
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The Lost City
A lot happened in 1935: Amelia Earhart became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean; Bruno Hauptmann was sentenced to die for killing the Lindbergh baby; and, here in the Illinois state capital, people witnessed the dedication of Lake Springfield and the Vachel Lindsay Bridge, the planning of Lincoln Memorial Garden, and […]
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Doug Knight’s “Little Renaissance”
The drive-in movie is one of the few pleasures in life designed with the whole family in mind. Traditionally a double-bill, the first show targets the kids, after which they (theoretically) lapse into slumber. Intermission features the vintage concession promo with the dancing soda pops and acrobatic hot dog. The second flick is geared toward […]
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Playing with firearms
Two bills winding their way through the Illinois legislature would legalize the use of handguns during the regular deer season. Currently, handgun permits are issued to hunters only on a county-by-county basis during a special three-day season in January. One of the bills’ sponsors, Todd Seiben, a Republican state senator from the northwestern Illinois town […]
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Death takes no holiday
Is AIDS a big deal in Sangamon County? Ask the Springfield AIDS Resource Center. Its volunteers and staff performed about 500 HIV tests last year and expect to do the same this year. In 2001, there were just 5 new reported cases of AIDS, but that was up from the previous two years. At least […]
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Springfield 1935
ORPHEUM THEATER Near the corner of Fifth and Washington once stood the Orpheum Theater, known for its lavish interior. It rivaled the big theaters of New York and then fell victim to “progress” in 1965, when it was demolished to make way for the Illinois National Bank. Historic preservationists still bemoan the loss of such […]
