Bans Off Our Bodies Reaction Rally
Several hundred people filled the Old State Capitol Plaza in downtown Springfield on Saturday morning, July 9, for the Bans Off Our Bodies Roe Reaction Rally. The event was organized by the Rally for Abortion Justice Coalition which includes Planned Parenthood Illinois, League of Women Voters of the Springfield Area, Black Lives Matter Springfield and…
God of Thunder a strong epic, The Phantom full of charm
Thunder a strong MCU entry Hobbled by a broken heart as well as an existential crisis, the God of Thunder is at the crossroads in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder, one of the better entries in the Marvel Films universe. However, upon visiting New Asgard, a purpose presents itself as he sets out to…
Pritzker: “We’re gonna get more big things done.”
Inflation, crime, pandemic response, abortion rights and Donald Trump are all set to be major issues in the 2022 race for Illinois governor, if the winning candidates’ election night speeches are any guide. “(Gov. JB) Pritzker doesn’t understand how skyrocketing gas prices and soaring food prices make everyday life harder for Illinois families like you…
Prose and cons
It’s a graduate school with concertina wire. On June 15, a group of inmates received master’s degrees within the walls of an Illinois prison, for the first time in the state’s history. The program, which started at Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum-security men’s prison, has expanded to the state’s main women’s prison in Lincoln. The…
Unplug Illinois Day
Unplug your electronic devices and plug in to play and adventure. Saturday, July 9, is Unplug Illinois Day, a campaign of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association. The Springfield Park District invites you to take advantage of our parks, golf courses, nature trails, bike trails, nature preserve, skate parks, tennis and pickleball courts, disc golf,…
Advocacy groups celebrate reform
New legislation will make it easier for incarcerated individuals to access information that is crucial to their self-advocacy. Governor JB Pritzker signed into law on May 13 legislation that allows incarcerated individuals and their attorneys access to their Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) “master file” in a timely manner. An incarcerated person’s IDOC master file…
fifth grade memory #2
fifth grade memory #2 a story in an auxiliary reader delighted me so much our teacher asked me to read it to the class I did so with enthusiasm it was called hare and hounds the tricks of the hares to avoid capture were capricious and clever for instance they scattered their paper-bit clues on…
Letters to the editor 07-07-22
GOOD ANALYSIS Very good opinion piece (“The cult of Trump,” June 3). I feel the same and would add a couple things. Cult leaders program their disciples to believe what they say and ignore everything else, especially if it speaks against them, which is what Trump did when calling the media “the enemy of the…
Bad primary for legislative leaders
The four Illinois legislative leaders did not have a spectacular primary day last week. House Speaker Chris Welch lost three incumbents to primary challengers. Senate President Don Harmon lost an appointed incumbent and an open seat race. And House Republican Leader Jim Durkin lost two incumbents and came up short in some other races. Senate…
There’s more in Dobbs than you think
When the decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was announced on June 24, I went online read it for myself rather than depend on the interpretation of various analysts and politicians. In the 213 pages there were many striking comments but one caught my attention more than any other. “The resolution of this…
When Illinois politicians choose their voters
Democracy may not be dead in Illinois, but it’s circling the drain. It’s the dirty little secret of the Illinois General Assembly; most members aren’t so much elected as anointed. The majority party in the General Assembly has gerrymandered legislative districts in a manner designed to ensure its continued control. That’s part of the reason…
A new look for Ninth Street
Dirt being moved and steel girders going up on the east side of South Ninth Street in downtown Springfield this summer mark the beginning of what the Sangamon County administrator calls a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.” A total of $127 million will be spent to establish a central transportation center called The Hub, consolidate government services on…
Homemade Sriracha
I spent the first month of the summer working at a camp in Washington’s Cascade mountains with a cellphone signal that flip-flopped between one bar and “No Service.” Though I was by no means “off the grid,” I wasn’t able to get my Facebook and Instagram feeds to refresh, so I pretty much gave up…
July is a-jumping
Hi there, all you happy people, and welcome to another edition of “Now Playing,” your portal to local, live music, as this mortal likes to see it anyway. Here’s hoping everyone had a fine Fourth as we go on blasting through the “Jewel-Eye” days like who knows what. I do believe we will start with…
CEO of HSHS Illinois Division resigns after three months
The president and chief executive officer of Hospital Sisters Health System’s Illinois division has resigned after less than three months on the job. HSHS spokeswoman Johanna Moll confirmed the resignation of Joseph J. Mullany in response to an inquiry from Illinois Times. Moll didn’t answer follow-up questions, such as the reason for Mullany’s resignation from…
