Cover Story
‘The wrong side of justice’
This story was produced by Injustice Watch, a nonprofit newsroom in Chicago that investigates issues of equity and justice in the Cook County court system. Curtis Lovelace was walking out of his law office in downtown Quincy, Illinois, when he spotted the stranger waiting by his car. “I recognized him to be a police officer,”…
Faraway Tree provides a magical escape, Oak Street is a half-baked dino film
Tree casts a delightful spell A fantasy for both children and adults, Ben Gregor’s The Magic Faraway Tree finds the perfect balance of whimsy and post-modernism to make it work for both groups. Based on the novels by Enid Blyton, the film leisurely casts its spell, its story unfolding effortlessly between an idyllic rural landscape…
The value of getting involved
Starting college, whether for the first time or after years away from the classroom, is an exciting milestone that should be celebrated! Students have new opportunities and experiences to look forward to while also navigating an unfamiliar environment and learning how to balance those new opportunities with existing responsibilities. As the director of student engagement…
Revisiting reverence
Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place – and I did not know it.” – Genesis 28:16 The fall of 2001, I found myself driving alone from St. Louis to Chicago to be with my mother who was to undergo lung surgery. I was feeling a mixture…
10 years at the top not guaranteed
After Michael J. Madigan’s 36 years as Illinois House speaker, a 10-year term limit on current and future speakers doesn’t seem like a lot of time in the big chair. Except it is. Nobody prior to Madigan had ever served 10 years as speaker in this state going back to when Illinois became a state…
Deliver us from evil …
One of the most sobering requests cited by Jesus in what has been called the “Lord’s Prayer,” is a sobering request of God, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” In no uncertain terms, Jesus instructs those who were following him to include in their prayer requests to God, “Lead us not…
Keeping the peace
The Illinois State Board of Elections has been paying off-duty Springfield police officers to provide security for records examinations, including the validation of candidate petitions. Andrew Finko is a lawyer for Byron Sigcho-Lopez, a Chicago alderman who is suing the State Board of Elections in an attempt to get onto the November ballot for Illinois’…
Letter from Ron Dougan to daughter Jackie
“At the risk of establishing a precedent,I take my pen in hand! About detasseling,we are letting out most of the boys but keeping on 7 or 8. They are older this year,high school seniors. The corn has come outall at once and we are getting it detasseled cheaper and better than usual. There is nothing new of course,…
Letters to the editor 8/13/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. KEEP QUESTIONING Maybe people are starting to actually wake up and question their county and city boards and look into whether these are a boon or bust for their communities (“Future uncertain for data centers,”…
Cantaloupe creations
My household has been under a compulsory cantaloupe consumption mandate for the past week. I’d ordered four of them from Humphrey’s Market to use in fruit salad for a large catering order, thinking I’d get standard volleyball-sized melons. The fruit that arrived was positively enormous, as large as watermelons, and they immediately filled the kitchen…
More than fair music
Entering into the 2026 Illinois State Fair, we can safely say that music rules on the fairgrounds. Lest we get too taken by the plethora (I allow myself to use that word once a year) of performances inherent and even incumbent to the fair, remember we also have a whole bunch of shows happening all…
Top state fair returns to north end
Yes, it’s that time again, Springfield! It’s time to get a corndog at Vose’s, see a Grandstand show or two and take that ride on the Sky Glider. The Illinois State Fair begins bright and early today at 7 a.m. Today’s big event, of course, is the Twilight Parade from Lincoln Park to the fairgrounds…
