Cover Story
Fall Home & Garden 2023
The recent derecho has many people paying more attention to tree health and maintenance, and Fall Home & Garden has tips on how to be prepared for the next storm. And the end of summer doesn’t have to mean the end of gardening, whether you’re harvesting fall produce or getting your garden ready for next…
Groundbreaking for Scheels Sports Park
Ceremonial shovels turning over dirt Sept. 20 signaled the start of construction for a $67 million sports complex that city officials said will make Springfield a popular destination for young people competing on traveling athletic teams from throughout the Midwest and beyond. “This puts Springfield on the map for sports tourism,” Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher…
St. Patrick’s wants tax credits to continue
Three of Jasmine Bland’s five children have been able to attend St. Patrick’s Catholic School, and she hopes state lawmakers continue to help low-income families like hers afford high-quality educational options. “The culture there is more like family, which I prefer,” said Bland, a single parent who lives with her children on Springfield’s east side,…
One interview
The woman who likely will become the next director of Springfield’s public library is a longtime employee of the Illinois State Library and worked at Lincoln Library for 16 years at the beginning of her career. Gwendolyn Harrison of Springfield was Mayor Misty Buscher’s top choice among candidates to replace Summer Beck-Griffith, an appointee of…
Bully Poem
our major school bully (may have been more) was a year ahead of me in grade school: his younger sister could turn cartwheels and I envied her: but the bully, I won’t reveal his name for he may have kids, grands in the area – he had mean slitty eyes when he was coming for…
Letters to the editor 9/14/23
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- NOT A GOOD LOOK Why is Ryan McCrady speaking for the developers (“Delay in Scheels Sports Park groundbreaking,” Aug. 31)? Why is this just now being brought to the public when the developers have…
Why China’s economy is tottering
President Xi Jinping has taken policy actions which cripple the Chinese economy. Why? Let’s look at Deng’s previous successful policies, what Xi has done since 2012 and the resulting political and economic consequences and discover why Xi has not acted to cure the current economic malaise in China. Last month the stock price of Evergrande…
Remembering Bill Black
Bill Black was a lawmaker who alternated between being outraged and outrageous. The former Danville high school history teacher died Sept. 9. He was one of my favorite people in the Illinois General Assembly. Black was a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1986-2011, representing the 104th district, which stretches from Champaign…
Tree health and maintenance
This summer’s derecho caused massive damage to trees. Now is the time to be proactive and learn about tree management and how best to maintain a resilient urban tree canopy. In the aftermath of storms, there are many unscrupulous people and others with good intentions looking to make money who lack skills and training. When…
Planning for spring
If you’re thinking of spring and can’t wait to see beautiful flowers and a lush lawn next year, consider the following checklist of action items to do now: Fertilize September is the best time to fertilize the lawn and get the root system ready for winter, according to Joan Buckles of Pleasant Nursery, 4234 W.…
A blueprint for fall gardening
The end of summer does not mean the end of gardening. In fact, fall provides opportunities for planting vegetables, as well as bulbs and hostas that will ensure a colorful and beautiful garden come spring. Mary Hinkle and Patty Lloyd, who serve as the horticulture committee chairs for the Springfield Civic Garden Club, share their…
Get your family organized
It’s happening. The kids are back to school, the temperature is dropping slowly but surely, and I see mums and the occasional pumpkin popping up on people’s front stoops. Whether you are a fall lover like me, or are more like my partner, who considers fall the end of all things living as we slide…
Fall Home and Garden Calendar
Monarchs and Me Sep. 16, 10am-12pm. What insect migrates 2,000 miles each year, has a wing span under 4 inches and weighs less than a paper clip? Learn about this magnificent insect, the only butterfly known to migrate such distances annually. Ages 5 to 12. Registration required as class size is limited. Free. Lincoln Memorial…
Oktoberfest in September
Though it’s only the middle of September, Oktoberfest officially begins this weekend. Over six million people will be attending Munich’s annual beer bash which goes on for 18 days. Oktoberfest has spread across the globe, with major celebrations taking place in such diverse places as Brazil, Australia, China, Argentina, Japan, South Africa and Hong Kong,…
Mid-September music-making
Off we go to imbibe the music made in our fair city and surrounding towns this weekend. The festivals and fairs are winding down, but the bars, wineries and breweries are still going strong as we gallop through the year. Let’s take a gander at where to wander for the fun stuff happening around here.…
Romance at the cemetery
Local playwright George A.M. Heroux’ musical tells the story of a widow and widower who meet while visiting the graves of their deceased spouses and what happens next. You can imagine the conflicts as adult children raise objections and the widower struggles over whether seeing another woman is “cheating.” Heroux originally wrote the play –…
Editors note 9/14/23
Last week brought the welcome national news that 20 philanthropic groups, including major national foundations and the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, are joining forces to invest a total of $500 million over the next five years in local news media organizations. The initiative, called Press Forward, is one of the biggest efforts…
Judge takes heat for speech
Among other things, sitting Illinois judges are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 4.1 from making “speeches on behalf of a political organization,” or soliciting funds for a political organization or candidate, except when they’re up for election or retention. So, you might ask, what the heck was Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Rochford thinking…
Battery manufacturing plant coming to Illinois
A new battery manufacturing plant is set to open in northern Illinois next year after the state offered more than $330 million in tax incentives to make it happen. Gotion, a Chinese battery manufacturing and development company, announced Sept. 8 that it will build a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Manteno, about 50 miles south…
New life for rom-com Love at First Sight, Nun II drags on, My Bat Mitzvah a coming-of-age story
Post-modern approach makes Love worthwhile I’m happy to report that Vanessa Caswell manages to find some new life in the rom-com with Love at First Sight. An adaptation of the novel by Jennifer E. Smith, there are more than a few overt fairy tale elements sprinkled throughout, simultaneously making light of the genre while contributing…
Coming back to Mass
This month, priests began taking attendance to make sure parents of students enrolled in Springfield’s Catholic schools are attending worship services – and the families who aren’t regularly attending could lose tuition breaks worth thousands of dollars. Perhaps not surprisingly, attendance at Catholic Masses has soared since the new policy went into effect. “We’ve noticed…
