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Juneteenth
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Council celebrates athletes, community calls for strong leadership
Springfield’s council meeting had less business than usual but included celebratory and thought-providing moments: young athletes from Jefferson Middle School were honored for breaking state records, and the city officially proclaimed a day in their name. The Oak Ridge Cemetery Foundation shared how volunteers are preserving one of the nation’s most visited cemeteries—and why future…
Pritzker signs $55.1B state budget reliant on $700M of new taxes
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Illinois’ fiscal year 2026 budget into law Monday, taking shots at President Donald Trump’s budget management to defend hard choices state lawmakers were forced to make this year. The $55.1 billion spending plan set to take effect July 1 is the largest in state history and is supported by $55.3 billion…
Healing of body and of spirit
Mortality, illness and suffering are an inescapable part of the human condition. When we are afflicted by disease, pain, injury or loss of bodily function, we seek healing and restoration to health. We enlist the skill of the physician to lessen our pain, to arrest or reverse the course of our disease, to repair injuries…
Chicago on list for ICE raids
As I write this, multiple news outlets have reported that the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is preparing to deploy its Special Response Teams to five major U.S. cities, including Chicago, in the very near future. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas told reporters last week: “There will be tactical teams,…
Ex-Speaker Madigan sentenced to 7 ½ years in prison for bribery, corruption
The number of years former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan spent in Springfield has often been used as shorthand to explain his outsized impact on state government and politics. His political career spanned 50 years in the General Assembly, 23 years chairing the Democratic Party of Illinois, and 36 years as House speaker — the…
Pritzker defends Illinois’ immigration laws in theatrical congressional hearing
Gov. JB Pritzker spent hours Thursday defending his governing record and Illinois’ immigration policies as he was peppered with questions from members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee. Pritzker and Democratic governors Kathy Hochul of New York and Tim Walz of Minnesota were summoned to Washington, D.C., by committee Chair James Comer, R-Kentucky, to answer…
Phoenician Scheme a quest to right wrongs, Unholy Trinity a wayward western
Anderson’s Scheme on firm footing When the films of Wes Anderson are discussed, his distinct, meticulously rendered, symmetrical stylings are often front of mind. As such, the thematic thread that runs through his work is often overlooked. Invariably, the focal point of his stories concerns a character intent on reinventing himself, either in an effort…
Reducing racial disparities in traffic stops
A voucher program that helps motorists fix safety equipment on their cars is about to begin with hopes of preventing future traffic stops in Springfield that could lead to arrests or confrontations with police. That is one result of talks with representatives of the Springfield chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and Springfield Police…
162 years after emancipation
The line of demarcation is only 9 blocks from the capitol’s feet. Important information but, what does it matter to me? Springfield, my city in 1865 where Lincoln happened to be. Signed the 13th amendment so that Negros would be free. For hope to change America’s financial divide. For the government to pick a refreshing…
Threads of Truth quilt to be unveiled
The community is invited to the unveiling of a remarkable quilt made by young men from The Outlet in collaboration with the Social Justice Sewing Academy through a partnership with the Downtown Springfield Rotary Club. The quilt will be part of the “Noir V: Resilience” exhibit at the Illinois State Museum, curated by Austin Wells…
Celebrate Juneteenth with these community activities
Since 2021, when Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to commemorate June 19, 1865, the date when the last enslaved Black people in the U.S. learned that they were free, the annual Juneteenth holiday in Springfield has continued to grow. With each passing year, new participating organizations join the festivities. Activities during the weeklong celebration…
Preserving Black history
The Allen Chapel African American Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Lincoln is on the Landmarks Illinois 2025 list of most endangered historic sites in the state. The church has a storied history from the formation of a congregation in 1868 to the construction of a building in 1881 until the chapel’s closure in 2012. The…
A new way to experience culture
The Culture Experience was founded two years ago by the mother-daughter duo of Alice Ivy-Wilson and Haley Williams as an initiative that invites you to connect with others and embark on a journey that demystifies cultural experiences. Earlier this year, TCE entered into a residency contract with the Pasfield House in Springfield, a historic venue…
217 BUY BLACK DIRECTORY
5th Street Gem 221 S. Fifth St. Lakeisha Purchase Event space 217-652-3531 710 Rippy G’s 2501 Wabash Ave. Jenita Harris Restaurant 217-572-1500 1221 Photography Zach Adams Photography 217-303-2264 A Taste of Seoul 406 E. Adams St. Kimsimone Manning Restaurant 217-970-0810 A’Shay Kreations Online Shayla Whitfield Retail 217-553-4721 The Academic Consulting Agency Online Kazim Abbot Education…
Red peas and red drinks
Juneteenth, a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S., is a day rich in traditions. This celebration provides opportunities for community bonding, education and remembrance, ensuring that the spirit and significance of Juneteenth are passed on to future generations. Central to these celebrations are elaborate feasts where families and communities gather…
June music making
Look out, folks, June is coming in hot with all kinds of live music happening here, there and everywhere. Let’s get going and see what there is to entertain us right now. Thursdays are jumpin’ enough to keep you hoppin’ like a June bull frog and flyin’ like those June bugs that come out in…
Tons of fun happening this week at county fairgrounds
School’s out and it’s county fair season! Some good old-fashioned fair fun certainly can be had this week at what has been called the premier county fair of central Illinois. The Sangamon County Fair features entertainment, livestock shows, exhibitors, queen pageant, carnival, rodeo, monster trucks, demolition derby and all the fair food you can imagine.…
Letters to the editor 6/12/25
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — A GOOD CHANGE I will assume that nuns do not lie but unfortunately do fall prey to media and Democrat lies. The proposed reforms to Medicaid and food stamps would, horror of all horrors,…
Springfield High sports honors and Jerome TIF impact
Big wins and big changes for District 186! The board celebrated Springfield High’s track stars and the girls soccer team’s historic state run, plus a strong finish for Southeast’s girls track. Graduation was a hit, with 736 students moving on to college, trades, or the workforce — and some surprising stats on where they’re headed…
Springfield’s unusual wastewater issue and questions about RV rules
Springfield’s council tackled some interesting questions this week. A $300k engineering contract for a wastewater rule drew questions—turns out our plant is the only one in the country facing this exact EPA challenge, and the clock is ticking. Council members pressed for more transparency, while a resident group raised concerns about risks to drinking water…
The Immigration Project expands with Springfield office
An immigrant advocacy organization that recently opened a Springfield office is celebrating its expansion of services with a public event June 12. The Immigration Project, which provides legal and social services to noncitizens and undocumented immigrants in central and southern Illinois, began operating in the Wabash Building, 1999 Wabash Ave., in March. The organization will…
Editors note 6/12/25
In the Broadway production Good Night, and Good Luck, it was after Edward R. Murrow used his 1950s TV program to show clips of U.S. Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy making a fool of himself in his own words that Murrow got in trouble with news executives at CBS for practicing “advocacy” journalism. As one of…
Gun rights groups continue push to overturn Illinois assault weapons ban
Gun rights advocates once again are asking a federal appeals court in Chicago to overturn Illinois’ ban on assault-style firearms and large-capacity magazines in a case that may be destined for the U.S. Supreme Court. In briefs filed June 6 with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, attorneys representing plaintiffs challenging the law urged the court…
