Cover Story
Harming health care workers
After working as a nurse’s aide in Springfield Memorial Hospital’s emergency department for four years, and after dodging a chair swung at her by one visitor and being pinned to the ground by another, Susan decided to leave for a different health care setting. Part of the reason for resigning once she completed her training…
Mayoral candidates meet for first public forum
Springfield needs to create a more “business-friendly” permitting process for construction and improvement projects, and the city should spend more of its money to fix streets, sidewalks and sewers, mayoral candidate Misty Buscher said at a Jan. 25 debate with incumbent Mayor Jim Langfelder. “We need to streamline our services in city hall,” Buscher, 52,…
Judge finds probable cause for first-degree murder charges against emergency workers
A paramedic who helped transport Earl Moore Jr. to HSHS St. John’s Hospital on Dec. 18 told hospital officials Moore was “combative” before being placed face-down on a stretcher, strapped down and loaded into an ambulance in front of his Springfield home, an Illinois State Police investigator testified Jan. 20. And an emergency medical technician…
Old Times
One of the founders of this journal told me long ago – when he feared that I, as the new owner coming from the world of daily newspapers, might put out a prosaic product – that my predecessors would always try to include something special, a gem, in every issue. We tried to continue that…
Peanuts, the crop that changed history
Jori Lewis grew up in Springfield, graduated from Springfield High School in 1996, and is now the author of Slaves for Peanuts – A Story of Conquest, Liberation, and a Crop that Changed History, an historical narrative that explains the development of the peanut industry in Senegal and its impact on slavery. Lewis went to…
My A.I. language knows 149,178 words
I’m somewhat of an anomaly in Springfield, or anywhere else for that matter. For most of my life, I’ve lived modestly, worked temporary jobs at minimum wage, ridden a bike for transportation, even during winter, and eaten at St. John’s Breadline to save on groceries. Having earned an associates degree in computer science, I’ve had…
Super nachos for Super Bowl
Super Bowl Sunday is Feb. 12, just around the corner, and we have the playbook for perfect loaded nachos. Whether you’re prepping for a crowd or a lazy night in, this formula makes the most out of your favorite ingredients. The original nachos were created in the early 1940s by Ignacio Anaya, maître d’hôtel of…
January wrap-up
By the time you read this there may be a bit (or two bits) of snow on the ground; otherwise, with the sunshine and nice temps out right now, this current January vibe feels more like March without the madness. But let’s just forget the weather for now and get to the music calendar to…
Illinois faces hurdles with auto manufacturers
The Rockford Register-Star reported last week that the state of Illinois “has submitted what could be its best offer to keep the Belvidere Assembly Plant operating and save what could be thousands of jobs.” Stellantis announced in December it would idle its Jeep Cherokee assembly plant in February. So, there appears to be a glimmer…
Editor’s note 01-26-23
Maybe now we’ll get some reform in the classified document system. Of the millions of documents now classified, insiders say some are as banal as how to make a ham sandwich. If the nation had fewer secrets, it wouldn’t be so easy to carelessly take some home to Indiana or the Delaware garage. Of the…
Free parking
The two candidates for Springfield mayor have different visions for downtown parking; one wants to make it free and the other is taking a wait-and-see approach, hoping further economic development will bring more people downtown. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, parking downtown has been free. But enforcement personnel continue to patrol the area…
Menstrual justice
The Temple B’rith Sholom Sisterhood recently learned about “menstrual justice” and turned education into action, donating “feminine hygiene products” to Sojourn House. The Sisterhood is a vibrant group of Jewish women who serve the temple and local community in myriad ways. Social justice is a pillar of Reform Judaism and a priority of the Sisterhood.…
Luring new sports gamblers with freebies
Sports gambling became legal in Illinois in March 2020. Since then, Illinoisians have wagered increasing amounts of money, reaching $1 billion in each of October and November of 2022, the last months for which numbers are available. The Illinois Gaming Board reports $14.5 million in tax revenue for November and year-to-date revenues in 2022 of…
Ron Dougan writes his brother: 1958
“This shed we are building is 38 feet wide by 140 feet long on the west side of the cow yard, open on the other side. We’re calling it “The Ladies Lounge.” We need more room to handle the big cows in the number we need. We’re not using the round barn much for night…
The cycle of language
I purchased a new bicycle for my 12-year-old daughter this month and received a tongue-lashing from a salesperson in return. The Springfield salesperson asked if she was interested in a “cross-through” bike. I had no idea what he was talking about. I was familiar with mountain bikes, road bikes and hybrids, but I’d never heard…
New names for Sports Hall of Fame
Seven athletes will be inducted into the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame next month as part of a 31-year capital city tradition. “To be considered, you have to have been retired from the sport for at least 10 years and played for one of Springfield’s high schools,” said Chris Leming, president of the hall of…
