Cover Story
Fall Guide
The annual Fall Guide issue has info on family friendly activities, fall gardening, upcoming theater and art shows and an expanded three-month calendar of events.
AARP Illinois celebrates 90 years of Social Security
Dozens of AARP members piled into the main hall of Erin’s Pavilion on Aug. 20 to hear what local politicians had to say about problems facing retired communities inSpringfield. The event also served as a 90th anniversary celebration for the Social Security Act signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. AARP Illinois senior director…
Insurance industry blames inflation, climate change for rate hikes
Insurance industry officials defended recent homeowners insurance rate spikes this week, blaming such factors as inflation and climate change while warning that attempts to regulate their ability to set rates would be bad for consumers. In testimony during a virtual meeting Wednesday of the Senate Insurance Committee, officials pushed back against criticisms by Gov. JB…
Rev. Dr. Blythe Kieffer retiring as pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Dr. Blythe Kieffer is retiring from Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S. Walnut St., after serving as pastor and head of staff for 12 years. She will give her final sermon, “Gratitude,” on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Special music will be presented by the Westminster Choir and Dale…
Relay a smart thriller, Map that Leads to You a predictable rom-com,
Relay a throwback to smart thrillers Smart, well-acted and containing a narrative switchback I didn’t see coming, Relay from director David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) is a pleasant surprise. This slow-burn thriller revolves around an intriguing premise that would have been right at home during the era of paranoid thrillers from the mid-1970s. Hitchcockian…
Award
I was a counselor (girls period) at Phantom Lake Y Camp I took my goat, still a kid. The campers all joined the “Rocky Club” to keep Rocky out of trouble. They could not keep her from skidding out onto the dock during swimming, sometimes even falling in! The last night of camp when all the…
The Golden Seed
This Liturgical Arts Festival program will be a dramatic performance with musical interludes. The theatrical component, from playwright and director James Compton Bockmier, features three figures from Springfield’s history. An in-character “trialogue” will take place among Susan Lawrence Dana (played by Arlene Cooney), Frank Lloyd Wright (Patrick Foster) and Vachel Lindsay (Keegan Otwell). The trio…
Health workers help address disparities
An apartment fire put Willie Taylor out of his home two years ago on Springfield’s east side and threw his life into chaos. A survivor of two strokes who deals with high blood pressure and other health problems, Taylor, 71, is on more stable footing these days. He attributes the improvement to Derek Rimelspach, a…
Protecting properties in perpetuity
The property is accessed by a bucolic, barely two-lane road that winds its way through a canopy of trees, occasionally revealing hardy corn stalks on each side reaching for the rural Menard County sky. An inconspicuous sign near a private residence marks the spot where Abraham Lincoln’s first sweetheart, Ann Rutledge, died in a log…
Securing mental health funding
Social workers and mental health providers informed the county’s Mental Health Commission earlier this month about the possible ways they could benefit from dedicated funding and planning from a community mental health board. The vast majority of counties in Illinois have these boards, which approve funding for local social service organizations through some form of…
Take a family day trip to Decatur
Less than an hour from Springfield, Decatur offers a wide variety of ever-changing wonders for families with children in search of indoor and outdoor play. From the constructive playthings of the Children’s Museum of Illinois to the animals at the Scovill Zoo and woodland experiences of Rock Springs Conservation Area and Nature Center, discover Decatur…
Rock the Conservatory
The set list is kept secret to heighten the anticipation. But if you like live music and dance with some art thrown in, you won’t be disappointed. Company dancers from the Springfield Youth Performance Group (SYPG), along with professional rock musicians, present the rousing “Rock the Conservatory” on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. The…
Celebrating the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson
The Phoenix Center invites the community to a weekend of celebration in honor of what would have been activist Marsha P. Johnson’s 80th birthday. The festivities include a fundraiser dance party, an afterparty and a free film screening, all paying tribute to the life and legacy of one of the most iconic figures in LGBTQ+…
Fall garden projects
The first golden leaves of autumn are just beginning to turn, but don’t put away those gardening tools just yet. There are still plenty of growing days left in the season. Indeed, late summer is the perfect time to plant quick-growing veggies that thrive in cooler weather. Spinach, radishes (especially vibrant pink and green watermelon…
Take a family camping trip
Growing up, my family were car camping people. Both my brother and I were involved with scouting, and my parents kept an up-to-date Kampgrounds of America (KOA) directory in the sideboard in the living room. I vividly remember one trip to the Outer Banks where it rained so much that the tent flooded and I…
Upcoming art shows and festivals
Art is a small word that belies the huge impact it has on a community. Art is a language that can connect diverse groups and individuals through both shared experiences and differences. It helps build community pride with cultural identity while introducing new ideas and perspectives. Art even has a role in economic development as…
A fall performing arts preview
This theater season, you will find a variety of theatrical performances on our local stages keeping you entertained with plenty of drama, horror and comedy. These stage productions and improv shows are a great way to enjoy local talent, whether in a classic play or a modern musical. Hoogland Center for the Arts The Hoogland…
It’s a Southern thing, y’all
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife, our dog and I resided in our converted school bus in different areas of the country. We made an effort to shop at local open-air farmers markets whenever possible, enjoying all the regional produce. However, my wife often said, “There’s nothing better than a good Illinois tomato!” Back in…
August music limbo time
With the state fair rush behind us and Labor Day weekend just ahead, this coming week feels like living in limbo. But never fear, there’s plenty in store for you as we peruse the local listings with verve and gusto. Sticking with Thursdays as our leadoff hitter, Al and Kathy Kitchen land at Mother Road…
Robert Moore reflects on his life
To track Robert Moore’s life and career is to study one person’s successful journey in the Great Migration of the 20th century. To see this Springfield man’s connections to other major events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement adds a personal dimension that makes history feel more real. Born in…
