Cover Story
Lincoln’s new neighbor
Lincoln Home National Historic Site (NHS) now has a new exhibit targeted at the many students who visit each year. This is the first youth-oriented exhibit within the Lincoln Home NHS and the first new exhibit in 20 years. “Lincoln’s Springfield” is the result of a partnership with the Lincoln Presidential Foundation and a gift…
Former state Sen. Sam McCann taken into police custody
Former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann was taken into federal police custody Feb. 9 after a judge ruled that McCann, who faces charges of misuse of campaign funds and tax evasion, repeatedly failed to inform court officials of his whereabouts. “There seems to be an excuse every time, and there are no more excuses, sir,”…
Speaker Welch targets Rep. Mary Flowers
Way back in 1990, I was making $17,000 a year working for an online Statehouse news and information company. I was too broke for a vacation, so I helped pay for a modest trip by covering a strike at the Delta Pride catfish processing company in Indianola, Mississippi for a few publications. Almost all of…
Springfield down to two residential waste haulers
Waste Management transferred most of its residential business in Springfield to Republic Services because alleys made service to certain parts of the city inefficient, a company spokesperson said. “Our company is moving more to automation,” Lisa Disbrow, spokesperson for Waste Management of Illinois Inc., told Illinois Times on Feb. 6. WM’s increasing use of garbage…
Lutheran High School plans to rebuild near Cherry Hills Church
After mine subsidence forced Lutheran High School to abandon its west-side Springfield campus in 2022, it is looking to rebuild on land owned by Cherry Hills Church, near the northeast corner of Chatham and Woodside roads. “We’re negotiating with Lutheran right now for them to buy 23 acres of farmland to the north of our…
Honoring Springfield native Julius Rosenwald, America’s first social philanthropist
Give while you live. That was the mantra of Julius Rosenwald. He amassed a fortune as the president of Sears, Roebuck and Company. He used his wealth to create a remarkable legacy, providing a lead gift to found the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and funding schools for African Americans throughout the South.…
New “Lincoln’s Springfield” exhibit
Developing an exhibit targeted at schoolchildren has been in the Lincoln Home National Historic Site master plan for over a decade. “This exhibit never would have been completed if it had to depend on federal funding,” said Timothy Good, superintendent of Lincoln Home NHS. The Lincoln Presidential Foundation led the project, hired the exhibit designer…
Events to feature reading, music, magic and much more
This Saturday the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is inviting the public to join it for a celebration. The ALPLM will not only mark Lincoln’s birthday, but also celebrate recently earning national accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums. “Qualifying involves months or even years of internal preparation and then evaluation by the alliance,”…
Out of Darkness is surprising, while Upgraded and Argylle are too predictable
Darkness examines the horror within A stunner from beginning to end, Andrew Cumming’s Out of Darkness is a visually stunning, consistently surprising movie that slowly reveals its true intent, its big reveal transcending its genre conventions. While it is being promoted as a horror film, and certainly contains elements from works of that sort, Cumming…
UIS Visual Arts Gallery is a creative space with a big impact
The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is more than a venue. It’s a public program with a mission to make contemporary art available and accessible to all, and it serves as a unique and important place to see and experience art in Springfield. We welcome the broader community to the gallery, where all…
Editors note 2/8/24
Waste Management’s quick exit from providing residential garbage service in Springfield may stir up calls for reform of Springfield’s antiquated and inefficient system of private haulers contracted by individual homeowners. There is little enforcement of the rule that requires each residence to have trash service, so rampant fly dumping plagues neighborhoods. Maybe the city needs…
High School Dances
Once upon a time we had high school dances often called “Hops.” We had programs! We filled them out with who we’d be dancing with each round of music. Here’s one I’ve found from my high school: Grand March Merry Mix up Girl’s Choice Mutt & Jeff dance Going to Jerusalem Shoe Dance Boy’s Choice…
Letters to the editor 2/8/24
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- REASON FOR HOPE Thank you to George Pawlaczyk for his excellent, painstakingly researched article about children who were killed by their parents despite extensive involvement by DCFS, often over many years (“When DCFS makes…
Local history on stage
The UIS Performing Arts Center invites you on a collaborative journey into history with Outraged: Terror in Springfield 1908 by local playwright and 2023 UIS artist-in-residence, Tim Crawford. This play-in-progress, part of the Our Stage / Our Voices initiative, promises an evening of thought-provoking theater, audience engagement and a chance to contribute your voice to…
Sweet on beets
Show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day with beets. These deeply pigmented vegetables are a glorious addition to winter menus, providing visual pop, sweet earthy flavor and loads of nutrition. Rich in iron, manganese, potassium, vitamins and B6, beets also are a source of plant-based nitrates, which research has suggested can increase blood flow and…
Party on, February music
The party is on, in, at and with all things happening this weekend and well into next week for that matter. We’ve got hot rock, cool Sammy, country love, Fat Tuesday and more coming your way in what’s becoming a very busy February. And we still have two more weekends and a leap day to…
