Cover Story
2022 Wedding Issue
Some couples postponed their wedding plans due to COVID, while others got engaged after more togetherness during the pandemic. Pent-up demand has made 2022 the year for weddings to come back in a big way. Vendors are doing their best to accommodate all the couples who want to get married now and figuring out how…
Wedding Venues
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s magnificent Plaza, the center rotunda of the museum, offers a spectacular backdrop for elegant receptions. Couples may choose to be introduced from the White House replica. Catering is available or couples may bring in outside catering for an additional charge. The library…
More than puppy love
I picked up the phone the other day and made a dinner reservation for a Valentine’s Day date. The manager wrote down, “Party of two for 7:30 p.m.” I couldn’t help but smile. It will be my 20th Valentine’s Day date in a row with the same person. Folks sometimes ask what brought us together.…
How’s Joe doing?
It’s been a little over a year since Joe Biden took office as president, and though it’s still too early to draw firm conclusions about his performance, it’s not too early to discern some trends. Especially in light of how Biden positioned himself in the 2020 campaign and, I believe, how he still sees himself:…
Planning amid uncertainty
Over the last two years, many couples planned weddings amid uncertainty and held celebrations with caveats. The wedding industry found itself recalibrating its offerings to provide safe and meaningful experiences for engaged couples and their families. All of this change, while hard, has also provided an exciting opportunity for weddings to look a little different…
Making it meaningful
For some couples, the second you get engaged, it seems as though people immediately begin asking about your plans for the Big Day. Personally, I remember feeling as though I had zero clue as to how to plan such a special and important party, and there isn’t necessarily a guidebook on creating the experience that…
Helping Hands plans more permanent supportive housing
About 80 homeowners who tried unsuccessfully to block a Springfield zoning change in 2021 for a proposed 24-unit apartment complex only now are learning the tenants would be people who used to be homeless and need what’s known as permanent supportive housing. Gail Van Den Bossche, who lives around the corner from the proposed Park…
Budget optimism
Springfield is planning almost $23 million in federally funded infrastructure improvements in the fiscal year that begins March 1 as part of a city budget plan flush with cash from COVID-19 relief funds and benefiting from sales and income tax revenue connected with surging consumer demand. The projects, to be funded from the total $33.8…
From Springfield to statewide
It’s been a long time since someone from Sangamon County sought a state constitutional office, but this year veteran prosecutor John Milhiser, a Springfield resident, is seeking the GOP nod for secretary of state. Since stepping down as U.S. attorney in the Central District of Illinois, Milhiser has taught government, English and history at Lawrence…
Wedding menus adapt to the times
It’s been an incredibly tough two years for weddings. Celebrations that weren’t completely canceled had to pivot hard and fast. Thankfully, wedding caterers have always been problem-solvers at their core. Whether it’s last-minute additional guests or a sudden thunderstorm at an outdoor wedding, a professional caterer is experienced at rolling with the punches and making…
grade school poem #1
grade school poem #1 elementary schools were called grade when I was a kid; I’ve been trying to retrieve one specific memory from each level while courting sleep: kindergarten isn’t hard I can still see Phil Samp and Jack Frey fighting on the big rug rolling punching and what are they fighting about? why, ME…
Oysters are for lovers
Oysters are a natural choice for intimate entertaining. They’ve been touted as an aphrodisiac since Roman times and were reputedly consumed as a virility booster by Casanova himself. Questionable libido-boosting claims aside, oysters are indeed perfect to serve on a date night at home or indeed any occasion. Not only are they a delicious and refreshing…
Letters to the editor 02-10-22
UNEQUAL TREATMENT The stark disparity in the city’s treatment of police chief Kenny Winslow and library director Rochelle Hartman leads to several troubling questions (“Mayor fires director of Lincoln Library,” Jan. 27). Winslow sought a chief position in Bloomington after he was given a raise last year of over $7,000 to stay in Springfield after…
State flush with cash for once
I think by now you can see why Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign spent so much money over the past month or so on TV and digital ads touting the state’s improved fiscal position. Illinoisans have been (accurately) fed fiscal horror stories about their state for decades. I don’t have to tell you that Illinois is…
Wedding Caterers
Arena Food Service, Inc. Custom menus and service proposals are always available. Unlimited number of guests served. Prices are dependent on services rendered. 993 Clocktower Drive, Suite D, 217-698-2944, ext. 304. arenafoodservice.com. pnovak@arenafoodservice.com. Conn’s Hospitality Group Official caterer of The Inn at 835, Merchant House and Elkhart Hill Farm & Vineyard, specializing in weddings, corporate…
The Black Man’s President
The Black Man’s President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy on race, reconsidered, stands up to critics BOOK REVIEW | James Krohe Jr. We used to put on pedestals countrymen deserving of honor for civic generosity or courage on behalf of good causes. Of late, we have taken down more statues than we have put up as the…
Another criminal investigation for Jenny Thornley
A former Illinois State Police Merit Board employee who was fired by the small state agency in July 2020 for alleged felony theft, forgery and official misconduct received $71,400 in workers’ compensation and disability payments after her termination. It’s unclear why Jenny Thornley, 41, received the benefits for more than a year based on her…
Moonfall a disaster, a rom com for Valentine’s Day and Jackass is what you expect
Inane Moonfall a true disaster Look, I don’t mind sitting through a big, dumb popcorn movie every once in a while, but I draw the line when they’re outright bad and stupid. What’s the difference, you may ask? Well, Armageddon and Con Air fall in the former category – yes, we know the premise of…
State flush with cash for once
I think by now you can see why Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign spent so much money over the past month or so on TV and digital ads touting the state’s improved fiscal position. Illinoisans have been (accurately) fed fiscal horror stories about their state for decades. I don’t have to tell you that Illinois is…
Much more February music
Well, now wasn’t that a fun time of snow, shoveling, snow again, shoveling again, cancelled gigs, other gigs that weren’t but probably should have been, and all kinds of delightful experiences we can happily move on from. This weekend looks to be a bit different weatherwise so let’s see what’s out there in the bars…
Black History Month
Here’s a sampling of Black History Month programs in the capital city. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Alderman Shawn Gregory, are offering creative hike and bike tours. Put on your hiking shoes and join a guide for a 90-minute hike around Oak Ridge Cemetery. Learn about the history of Springfield’s Black community, including…
Community appreciation weekend
Come out, come out wherever you are. The weather is warming and the snow is finally melting, so it’s time to come out to learn and play. This weekend Kidzeum is throwing open its doors with free admission. Inside you will find lots of fun crafts and activities. Cut loose and explore the exhibits, from…
