Cover Story
A loss for Illinois farmers and food banks
The decision to eliminate federal funding for programs that support farmers and food banks goes against the Trump administration’s commitment to “Make America Healthy Again” according to advocates for local producers and nonprofit hunger abatement organizations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in February cut two federal programs, the Local Food for Schools program and the…
25-year solar contract, assisted living fees and Wyndham fallout
Springfield council paused to honor the lives lost in Chatham, then got right to work on some big decisions. A $13 million-a-year solar contract sparked debate about the city’s clean energy future, how it fits into long-term plans, and whether residents are being heard before major spending. Council members pushed for more public engagement and…
Driver of deadly crash at after-school camp is a former State Police employee
The driver of a vehicle involved in a deadly crash Monday at an after-school program formerly worked for the Illinois State Police, the agency investigating the crash. The ISP identified the driver as Marianne Akers, 44, of Chatham. She worked at the ISP from June 2006 to August 2018, an ISP spokesman confirmed Tuesday. The…
Illinois veterans, VA employees rally to protest expected Trump administration cuts
John Gerend, a Vietnam War veteran from Lake Villa, Illinois, was exposed to Agent Orange while on duty. Suffering from diseases associated with exposure to the toxic chemical, he said he still considers himself fortunate. “I’ve had some issues with it — diabetes, some heart issues and so on — but there are many more…
Faith, art and advocacy
Members and friends of Westminster Presbyterian Church will gather on Founders’ Sunday, May 18, to celebrate 190 years of faith, art and advocacy. Our story begins with faith and a commitment to advocacy. The 30 founding members who signed the church charter on May 26, 1835, had strong abolitionist convictions and positive initiatives advocating justice…
Community comes together for United Way’s Spring Day of Action
Last week, more than 200 volunteers rolled up their sleeves and made a big difference across Springfield and nearby communities during the Spring Day of Action hosted by United Way of Central Illinois. The day started with a special volunteer appreciation lunch at the Salvation Army. Volunteers gathered to enjoy delicious food from Café Moxo,…
U.S. Attorney’s office seeing little success in public corruption trials
As you likely know by now, a federal jury deadlocked last week on all three corruption charges against Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago. U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood declared a mistrial after polling individual jurors and arriving at the conclusion that they could not possibly reach a verdict. When you think of the Chicago U.S.…
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announces U.S. Senate campaign
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is the first Democrat to step into what is expected to be a crowded race to fill Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat. Stratton launched her campaign Thursday morning in a video just one day after Durbin announced he will not seek reelection for a seat he has held since 1997. “As Donald…
Accountant 2 an unnecessary sequel, Sinners gets bogged down
Accountant 2 unsure of its purpose or point I’d be hard-pressed to think of a more schizophrenic Hollywood movie than The Accountant 2. This unnecessary sequel to the 2016 Ben Affleck actioner can’t make up its mind what it wants to be. Sloppily directed by Gavin O’Connor, the script by Bill Dubuque is a whiplash-inducing exercise…
Released from prison with nowhere to go
Since retiring from a career in state government I’ve enjoyed freelance writing about an eclectic range of topics, often focused on museums and cultural organizations, natural resources and the environment, health and fitness, community organizations, interesting people and local events. It has become my continuing education and has also inspired me to want to learn…
Change of mind
When I was teaching at Kent State, we ate at a dorm: I thought it would improve family conversation, manners, and save me work. The kids preferred to talk with college students and when I saw one kid pick up a handful of mashed potatoes and smear it down her face I thought, “so much…
Letters to the editor 4/24/25
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — DEFICIT HISTORY Jeff Winchell writes in IT, “The government is going broke, thanks to the Democrats” (Letters to the editor, April 10). He includes no statistics or proof of his statement, so I will…
Remember U.S. Grant of Illinois
Being a veteran of the infamous siege of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War in 1968, I could relate somewhat to the siege that occurred at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1862 during America’s Civil War, when the Confederate defenders of the hilly Mississippi River town came under siege by Union forces led by General Ulysses S.…
Federal government should keep its promises
What is the status of the federal Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding in Illinois? There were two batches of monies, $28.8 million and then $14.7 million, adding up to a collective $43.5 million. The original $28.8 million was frozen, but now we are being told that we’re able to access those funds and complete…
Celebrate early spring produce
Erbazzone is essentially a rustic tart filled with savory greens and cheese, with variations found throughout the gastronomically rich region of Emilio-Romagna in northern Italy. A celebration of early spring produce, similar dishes such as Greece’s famous spanakopita can be found throughout Italy and the Mediterranean with varying types of vegetables and herbs, cheese and…
End of April music
Maybe it was because of the late Easter date or the fluctuations in weather from below freezing to 80 degrees, along with windy, rainy, sunny, cloudy and a few other “y’s” days as well, but April sure seemed to come and go in a hurry. Regardless of how the time flies by, let’s see what’s…
John O’Connor brings Springfield’s favorite son to life
Local performer John O’Connor stars in this one-person play written by Herbert Mitgang. The show relies heavily on Lincoln’s own words and, according to the Hoogland Center, “features the folksy wisdom of Lincoln’s biography and the transcendent grandeur of his nation-healing words as president, healing that was cut short by an assassin’s bullet.” Mitgang is…
Editors note 4/24/25
With spring and Easter come flowers and signs of hope. Harvard sues. The Supreme Court asserts itself. A senator visits the man deported by mistake. Protests mount. Markets protest. Still, there’s trouble all around. “Resurrection happens in the midst of darkness,” is the Easter message of Sister Kathlyn Mulcahy, OP, a member of the leadership…
A bill to boost beer breweries
A bill currently being considered by the General Assembly is aimed at making life easier – and more profitable – for small craft beer companies throughout the state. “The majority of Illinois liquor law is pretty much from the 1930s, like Prohibition era,” said Brent Schwoerer, owner, founder and brewmaster at Springfield’s Engrained Brewing Co.…
A better way to treat juvenile offenders
Inspired by reform efforts in Ireland and Germany, Illinois activists are working to pass legislation that would offer more rehabilitation opportunities for youth offenders, allowing them to get their lives back on track and stay out of prison. Senate Bill 2156, which has passed the Senate and moved to the House, is the first step…
