Cover Story
Illinois ends cash bail
The elimination of cash bail in Illinois, now about 200 days away, continues to worry Sangamon County law enforcement officials. They fear the landmark criminal justice legislation will result in more crime even as it addresses the injustice of poor people remaining in jail pretrial while people who can afford bail are released. The bail…
Abortion rights supporters rally in Springfield following Supreme Court decision
More than 200 pro-choice supporters turned out for a June 24 rally in Springfield to chant, “Abortion is health care,” a few hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Holding signs that said, “Trust the Person With the Uterus” and “Keep Abortion Safe…
Nicolas Paz, owner of AZ-T-CA, responds to theft allegations
Operators of the popular Springfield restaurant AZ-T-CA Mexican Grill, 2753 Chatham Road, pleaded not guilty June 23 to charges of defrauding the state out of more than $100,000 in sales tax revenue. Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged owner Nicolas Paz and his wife, Amanda Paz, with theft of government funds over $100,000, a Class X…
Putting out the fires
The Springfield Fire Department should fill the vacant position of emergency medical services coordinator and consider reconfiguring EMS services so firefighters can respond quicker to true emergencies, a respected consulting group says. The Center for Public Safety Management, a 103-year-old nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., also recommended in a report that the city: •…
Ragtime is a good time
“You are a complacent man with no thought of history. You have traveled everywhere and learned nothing.” Younger Brother, Ragtime The Springfield Muni Opera’s production of the Tony Award-winning Ragtime, the Musical (book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens), is a profound civics and history lesson told through captivating performances and…
What I learned at summer camp
“Oh my goodness! What have I gotten myself into this time?” It’s 5 a.m. and the sun is about to rise. I’m in the Pacific Northwest working as a head cook at a summer camp for kids. In about three hours, I have to have breakfast ready for 120 campers and 40 staff. After I…
RIP Micky and music matters
Hello all you happy campers, plus all you grumpy campers too, because they deserve to be heard as well and oftentimes make up the majority of these purported and possibly imaginary campers. But all that aside, let’s dig into the scene this week and see what’s out there. First, we start off on a sad…
There is such a thing as a free ride
W.E. Sullivan, owner of a bridge construction company in Roodhouse, visited the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where he marveled at the original Ferris wheel designed by George W. G. Ferris, who also owned a bridge company. Sullivan was determined to build a wheel of his own and debuted his first, Big Eli, in Jacksonville’s…
Editors note 6/23/22
When historian Jon Meacham addressed the Abraham Lincoln Association banquet in Springfield Tuesday, he recounted Lincoln’s advocacy of a peaceful transition of power were he to lose the 1864 election. It is telling that this was one of the biggest applause moments of the evening. That a huge slice of the electorate is captivated by…
Downtown store is Springfield’s first refillery
To support a local female-owned business while helping the environment, visit The Keep Store at 314 E. Adams Street. Amy Shelton is the owner and founder of Springfield’s first “refillery” store which opened May 21. Bring your own jar or buy a container to purchase bath supplies, cleaning products and other personal care items by…
It’s cool to be square
The Springfield Art Association (SAA) is again taking over downtown where you can paint the streets and put your artistic talents on public display in a freshly created outdoor gallery. Each registrant will receive a 6×6-foot square to paint solo or with family, co-workers, clubs or sports teams – up to six painters can work…
Found: Death certificates of 5 killed in East St. Louis riots
It was a tale told by older generations to the younger generations, of men shot and killed and their bodies tossed into a creek during one of the fiercest race riots in the country. That tale was carried across the Mississippi River by those trying to escape the violence and through the generations of African…
Elvis is mesmerizing, Jerry and Marge just fine, Leo Grande has unique premise
Butler mesmerizing as Elvis It’s been quite some time since I felt chills while watching a movie. And despite my initial reservations, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis provided those and then some on more than one occasion. Utilizing every cinematic trick at his disposal, the filmmaker brings to life the trials and tribulations of the legendary performer,…
Are FOID cards unconstitutional?
It could be a court case that expands Illinois gun-owner rights, but the state Supreme Court has twice avoided making a decision. At issue is whether the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Card, or FOID, is an unconstitutional infringement on a citizen’s right to bear arms. “Whenever the court can rule on an issue without having…
Trump tries to tip the scales
The day after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, former President Donald Trump was taking credit – and endorsing candidates. The 45th president of the United States was campaigning for U.S. Rep. Mary Miller who is running against U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis in the Republican primary. The incumbent-on-incumbent line up is a result…
Drama poem #
Location: paved barnyard Contents: dried cow pats, huge cow tank with water three feet deep, plus a slide down into the pool Cast: wary cows; three small kids Action: Joan (God) and Patsy (Jesus) at foot of slide waiting to catch Jackie (smallest) as she skitters down into the blue waves: she’s the “Good Woman…
Letters to the editor 6/23/22
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- YOU GOT IT WRONG Thanks for covering my state representative race, warts and all. I appreciate the multiple corrections you made to Scott Reeder’s article (“Kent Gray challenges Tim Butler,” June 16). I did…
Republicans becoming the party of Trump
“We’re not the party of Trump,” Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie told an interviewer a couple of months ago. “I’m in the Republican Party and the party of Lincoln. And at the end of the day, the important thing is that we’re standing up for ideas and ideals, and not a personality. And that is…
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…
Illinois farmers and universities collaborate on soil health
The heat and humidity may be cranked up during the summer, but Illinois farmers are still hard at work making management decisions on their farms. With corn and soybeans planted across the state each spring, many farmers take time in the hotter months of the year to learn about new, innovative ways they can maximize…
Some politicians sell anger
Mary Miller frightens me. Yes, I’m talking about the member of Congress from southern Illinois who is running against Rodney Davis for the Republican nomination in the 15th Congressional District. She is not pitching policies. She is selling anger. But I could also say the same about a whole host of candidates on the far…
