Cover Story
Born in a pandemic
Sydney Capers of Springfield, 25 years old, gave birth to her son, Phoenix, last November. She was an early childhood education major in college, and nannied for special needs children. She has since worked at preschools and plans to go back to teaching once her son is ready for child care himself. Phoenix struggled in…
What do we mean by the “common good”?
I’ve always been impressed that the preamble to the Constitution begins, “We the People of the United States.” We’ve heard the phrase so often that we don’t even stop to think about it. But as the proposed constitution was being debated in 1787, there were people who did – notably, Patrick Henry, who in a…
Pritzker threatens to begin vetoing bad bills
Gov. JB Pritzker has vetoed only a tiny handful of bills since assuming office in 2019 and has taken a mostly hands-off approach to this year’s spring legislative session. But that may soon change. Pritzker and his top staff began contacting lawmakers and interest groups last week to tell them how they need to “fix”…
Archival find #40
Found in files from 1980, granddaughter to grandparents: Dear Grandpa and Grandma, here’s what I really want to be: A FARMER! More and more I find myself wanting to mess around with plants and gardens and compost heaps and worms and bees and …oh, cane chairs, make toys… I guess I feel this photography stuff…
Letters to the editor 5/20/21
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to letters@illinoistimes.com. —- KNOW YOUR HISTORY The most frustrating and prohibitive factor in the unending battle for equality in our nation is the people who allow their thinking to flow as shallow as necessary to remain comfortable…
When it was a crime to be Italian
Zach Baliva’s grandmother, who lived to be 102, settled in Springfield after her family immigrated from Italy. She spoke Italian fluently but “didn’t pass on the language to my father,” said Baliva, who was raised in Chatham and now lives in California. Baliva applied for dual citizenship to reconnect with his roots and he has…
Durags and dress codes
Nancy Marschewski and her husband have three adopted sons who are multiracial. One of them was penalized after wearing a durag – a headscarf typically worn by Black males – to Effingham High School. Now the Effingham school board is considering a policy change. Marschewski, who is white, has taken her sons to hairdressers who…
GOP brings controversial speaker to Springfield
Candace Owens, scheduled to speak tonight, May 20, in Springfield, says that Donald Trump, given oxygen in the White House last fall before being taken to Walter Reed Medical Center, wasn’t that sick. Mob justice brought down Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, she maintains. Climate change? “Dot-com, though,” Owens…
Pritzker will phase out eviction moratorium by August
Gov. JB Pritzker announced May 17 the state will plan to “phase out” its moratorium on pandemic-related evictions by August and launched a new program to provide assistance to renters and homeowners financially impacted by COVID-19. The announcement regarding the planned end of the eviction moratorium came as Pritzker signed House Bill 2877, a bill…
An emotionally powerful masterpiece and more
Killing a quiet masterpiece There’s a quiet beauty, as well as a palpable undercurrent of dread, running through director Robert Machoian’s The Killing of Two Lovers, a major, welcomed surprise that is as emotionally powerful as its budget is small. The director’s stripped-down approach – real locations, sincere improvisation – results in a poignant, haunting…
Fermentation hotline
My last two columns on home fermentation triggered a surprising number of email questions from readers. In today’s column, I’ll address the three most commonly asked questions and pass on a couple new recipes. How can I tell if it’s safe to eat? Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. It’s very…
More May music
Things are rolling along as our clubs and venues continue to get back to a degree of normalcy, with schedules chock-full of acts that truly exemplify the amazing diversity of music in our area. And just look at that Live Music calendar growing like a weed with more gigs added every week showing off what’s…
Reading for your right brain
Throughout the year, the Michael Victor II Art library of the Springfield Art Association (SAA) receives generous donations of gently used books. The art-related books and other great titles from these donations are then sold at discounted prices in support of the art library which houses over 3,000 art books and thought-provoking lectures that are…
A world of music from Illinois
From Muddy Waters to REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick to Earth, Wind & Fire and Chance the Rapper, the land of Lincoln has produced some of the most highly celebrated music in rock history. Musicians, legendary radio stations and musical gear have shaped the sonic history of Illinois and the world. This exhibit, which showcases the…
Illinois ballads
Time for me to drive? About the only thing that our new state tourism song has going for it is that it was inspired by a band from Illinois. Otherwise, JB would have us eschew public transportation, pile into carbon-spewing cars and roam the Land of Lincoln in search of fun. I’m not sure how…
Editors note 5/20/21
It was a privilege to be present for Springfield Business Journal’s recognition this week of Women of Influence, sponsored by Security Bank, which has hallmarked appreciating women and their achievements. Six were honored for their various accomplishments – one for leading Parkinson’s patients to dance, another who moved from politics to health care in a…
