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Grillin’ And Chillin’ 2022
Our Grillin’ and Chllin’ issue has plenty of ideas to celebrate the holiday weekend, from camping and nature areas around Springfield to short day trips and backyard get-togethers. Related Related Related Stories
No room at mental health facilities
Gov. JB Pritzker overstepped his authority by giving one of his cabinet members “sole and unfettered discretion” over which criminal defendants should be admitted for psychiatric treatment to restore their fitness for trial, the Sangamon County sheriff says. Sheriff Jack Campbell made that assertion in a June 22 lawsuit requesting damages against the Illinois Department…
Chris Schaller goes to prison
A former mortgage broker turned minor Springfield celebrity turned scam artist will spend nearly three years behind bars. Sentenced recently to 30 months for wire fraud by U.S. District Court Judge Sue Myerscough, Chris Schaller, formerly of Rochester, did not go quietly. After pleading guilty in August 2020, Schaller reversed course, asking to withdraw his…
Fallout from fatal encounter
A 40-year-old Springfield man who admitted to getting high with his girlfriend in a hotel room will be sentenced Aug. 4 after pleading guilty to concealing her death and then using a debit card to steal $1,500 from her bank account after she overdosed in January. Prosecutors agreed to drop a related felony charge of…
Editors note 6/30/22
Democrats have long known they can’t beat Republicans by trying to act like Republicans. Pretending makes them look insincere. Same goes for Republicans trying to beat trumpers. By claiming the Trump mantle for his voting record and for serving as state co-chair of Trump’s reelection campaign, Rodney Davis came off as trumper light. The only…
Mary Miller trumps Rodney Davis
Three days after former president Donald Trump stumped for her in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Mary Miller won the GOP nomination in the 15th Congressional District, defeating fellow incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis. With 83% of the estimated vote counted, Miller had 57.5% of the vote to Davis’ 42.5%. It was a resounding victory for the freshman congresswoman…
Grants preserve local history
The Sangamon County Historical Society recently awarded four grants for special projects that help preserve and promote local history. Friends of the Original Leland Farm House Inc. – $1,000 to restore the 1860s Farm House Summer Kitchen which was moved from its original site in Leland Grove to Washington Park. Funds will be used to…
fifth grade memory #1
I was the top tongue-twister: “the big black bug bled black blood on the big barn floor” “to sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock in a pestilential prison with a lifelong lock awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock…” plus much more this latter from gilbert and sullivan though I didn’t…
Letters to the editor 6/30/22
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- FALSELY ACCUSED I have to reply to the false accusations made by state Sen. Steve McClure in the recent article (“Illinois ends cash bail,” June 23). McClure said the Faith Coalition “is not an…
Pritzker to call special session on abortion
As I’ve been telling my newsletter subscribers for several weeks now, talks began in mid-May about a possible special state legislative session to address the abortion issue. Gov. JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch had some brief chats about bringing legislators back to town back then. Illinois is already an…
The cult of Trump
It was a carnival of the bizarre. As soon as I stepped out of my vehicle, I saw a “F—- Biden” flag flying next to someone’s RV. A pickup nearby had the same message painted on both its doors – with firearms forming each letter. Then I saw someone walk by wearing a T-shirt that…
Short trips for mid-summer
If your social media feed makes it seems as if everyone but you is on an exotic vacation, don’t despair. Nearby destinations can bring you a touch of other countries without the cost and hassle. How about marveling at Michelangelo’s artwork just 40 miles from Springfield? Checking out a magnificent basilica that puts some in…
Camping in the Land of Lincoln
When I began camping again as an adult, I was not sure what primitive camping meant. Making a shelter with pine boughs? Starting a fire with a bow drill? Foraging for food? In fact, primitive camping simply means camping in a tent. It’s not nearly as popular as RV camping, which means tent campers often…
Break out a box (or can) of wine
One does not usually associate high-quality wines with boxes and cans, but that may be changing. An increasing number of well-regarded producers are packaging delicious, quaffable wines in boxes and cans. And why not? The average time between when a bottle of wine is purchased and when it is consumed is just 18 minutes. Winemakers…
Fourth (and other days) of July music
June was a flash, and now here we are rolling into July 2022, blasting our way to Independence Day weekend, otherwise known as Fourth of July time. Always ready to create and enjoy a celebration, Americans will put on a party, and that means live music is front and center, as it should be, in…
Make salad the main course
Whether you’re looking for healthful make-ahead lunches or a colorful dish for a cookout, these recipes make the most out of summer’s bounty. All are nutritionally complete and can be modified to suit many different dietary requirements. Use whatever veggies you have on hand when making the Pan-Asian noodle salad. The addition of shelled edamame…
The unanimous Declaration
This week’s calendar is packed with holiday happenings for Independence Day and you will not have to look far for fun ways to celebrate. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site will have activities on July 1-2 and July 5, with period demonstrations and a reading of the Declaration of Independence each day. The Capital City…
