Got munchies?
Police found more than 20 pounds of edible pot products during a raid last week. Photo courtesy of Springfield Police Department When Springfield police busted a major pot growing operation last week on one of the city’s busiest streets, they found more than just plants. In addition to pot, police last Thursday found more than…
Charges filed in pot case
Zachary Pierson Scott Foster Two men arrested last Thursday in connection with a large-scale marijuana growing operation at the intersection of South Eighth Street and South Grand Avenue were arraigned Monday and remain in the Sangamon County jail. Scott Foster, 31, and Zachary Pierson, 36, each are being held in lieu of $200,000 bond.…
Under our very noses
Authorities say a former dry cleaning business at one of the city’s busiest intersections was being used to grow pot. Photo by Bruce Rushton HVAC boxes that appear relatively new are on the building’s roof. Photo by Bruce Rushton The building is adjacent to a residential neighborhood. Photo by Bruce Rushton Note: This story has…
Shame on you
The news from the Illinois Statehouse almost makes one nostalgic for the Illinois politicians of old, those sticky-fingered but charming rogues. Today’s Capitol, we learn, is a playpen for not at all charming jerks, creeps and pervs who feel not only empowered but entitled to prey on any females who cross their paths. Sex at…
Why Al Franken should not resign
Jim Hightower is on vacation this week. The chorus of loud demands for Senator Al Franken’s resignation began from the moment that Leeann Tweeden accused him of sexual harassment. Those calls intensified after three more women – two of them anonymous – said the Minnesota Democrat had touched them inappropriately. They haven’t subsided yet. Although…
Letters to the Editor 11/30/17
A WhiteWashed Past As controversy over Civil War monuments has gripped the nation, the state of Illinois needs to stop whitewashing our own slave-owning past in its official telling of history. Some of that whitewashing tars some of our most prominent public spaces. In 1918, in a stunning display of political and moral relativism, Illinois…
Editor’s Note 11/30/17
In this our Holiday Guide issue, it is appropriate to pass along some guidance for the shadow side of holidays, where not all is fun and games. Staab Funeral Home, and other Springfield funeral homes, hold regular gatherings aimed at helping their clients get through the holiday season while grieving a family member who has…
Is Springfield welcoming? Why doctors need to know
A few years ago I read an article indicating that health care was rivaling state government as the largest employment area in Springfield. It didn’t surprise me. Since the founding of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in the 1970s, there has been steady growth not only of the SIU clinics but of both…
Doo-wop Christmas
See The Alley Cats, the United States’ premiere doo-wop comedy act, on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, as part of their 2017 nationwide holiday tour. The seasonal serenade will feature classic and traditional holiday tunes paired with The Alley Cats’ signature comedy act. The Alley Cats, founded…
Experience the wizarding world
Attention witches, wizards, muggles and squibs of all ages! On Saturday, Dec. 2, from 6-9 p.m., don your wands, cloaks and brooms and celebrate the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Enjoy an evening that begins with a sampling of kid-friendly potions, brews and hors d’oeuvres in the great hall, followed by photos at Platform 9…
Lavish lights
Join the Springfield Park District for their annual Holiday Zoo Lights event, on display Nov. 30-Dec. 3, Dec. 7-10, Dec. 14-17, Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 26-30, from 5-9 p.m. nightly. Thanks to a new partnership with Winterland, Inc., a national holiday décor company, 2017’s seasonal light show is bigger and better than ever. The display…
A good man is hard to fund
I’m a 35-year-old woman. I’m living with my boyfriend who’s a freelance artist (talented but just getting started). We’ve been together for three years and I am paying for pretty much everything. I don’t feel resentful. I feel like we’re a team and eventually his career will take off. However, my parents keep saying it’s…
Holiday events calendar
Winter Art SaleNov 30, Dec 1, 10am-2pm Thu-Fri. Featuring one-of-a-kind student-created art plus complimentary coffee and cookies. Free. LLCC Trutter Center, 5250 Shepherd Road, 786-2200. Edwards Place Restoration TourNov 30, 5:30pm Thu. See Edwards Place decorated for the holidays and view the second floor restoration progress. Free. edwardsplace.org. Edwards Place, Springfield Art Association, 700 N.…
Three million lights and Puff the Magic Dragon
East Peoria claims its Festival of Lights is “one of the largest, lighted nighttime festivals in the Midwest.” While such a boast is difficult to prove, visitors will encounter enough colorful, twinkling wattage to satisfy even the Grinchiest among them. The festival, which runs nightly through Dec. 31, features a drive-through park filled with displays…
Payback time
Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder says that monies from tax increment financing accounts should be distributed as loans instead of outright grants that don’t have to be repaid. “We need to go more toward loans so we can get money back in the (TIF) fund,” Langfelder said.Beyond replenishing TIF funds, Langfelder says that loans could help…
Tune in now, comrade
He could be anywhere. In front of you in the HyVee checkout line, or maybe behind. Go to church? Careful, now: The man known as Driftglass is an usher. The church’s name, like Driftglass’s true identity, is best kept confidential. He claims, even swears, that he does not take money from the collection plate. This…
Ronan, Gerwig soar with Lady Bird
Tell me if you’ve heard this one – a teenage girl, feeling lost and misunderstood, goes to a new high school where her feelings of isolation are assuaged a bit when she meets and becomes friends with a fellow outsider. Over the course of the school year she meets her first love, finds herself attracted…
Hot December music
This oddly warm week for the end of November is fitting to heat us up for a weekend of scorching good music on the roster. Be sure to check the community calendar for holiday music happenings along with the regular bar scene stuff. It’s that magical, mystical time of year where merry things appear at…
Christian Lopez
This West Virginia native now resides in Nashville, Tennessee, and uses the Music City for a home base to bring his particular style of Americana music to the masses. Lopez recorded his debut album, Onward, with famed producer Dave Cobb of Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson success in 2015. His recent offering, Red Arrow, on…
Edible treats for holiday giving
If you were to close your eyes and envision a perfect celebratory winter holiday gathering, what would it look like? What are the traditions of your family? What are your cherished holiday memories? I grew up in a Protestant household in a middle-class suburban neighborhood and my vision would hasten back to a more idyllic,…
