Cover Story
Project Censored 2024
With any Top 10 list, there’s a natural tendency to look first at No. 1, and neither I nor Project Censored would discourage you from doing that, when it comes to the annual list of the top censored stories of the year. This year, the top story is about workplace deaths and injuries – with…
Building trust and community
In central Illinois I like to think we pride ourselves on being a community rooted in hard work, common sense and goodwill to our neighbors. Yet, lately, it seems our shared values have been shaken by the winds of fear and misinformation. This past month, a rumor swept through town like wildfire: “Venezuelan street gangs…
Pritzker endorses hemp regulation bill
More than five years after Illinois began issuing permits for legal production of industrial hemp, Gov. JB Pritzker said he now favors legislation to bring the industry under tighter regulation. At a Dec. 13 news conference in Chicago, Pritzker said in the short time since both the state and federal governments legalized hemp production, a…
UIS Performing Arts Center to close temporarily
Sangamon Auditorium and the UIS Studio Theatre, housed within University of Illinois Springfield’s Public Affairs Center building, will temporarily close starting in June 2025 for an extensive, state-funded, 15-month plumbing improvement project that will address ongoing issues with the facility’s 50-year-old infrastructure. Plans call for the auditorium and theater to reopen following the completion of…
Harold H. Parkes
Harold H. Parkes, 100, passed away at 11:20 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 at his home. He was born in Springfield, the son of James Russell and Mabel Kathryn (Fetzer) Parkes. Harold married Virginia Stoffels on Jan. 26, 1957 and she preceded him in death, Dec. 3, 2001. Also preceding him in death were his…
State budget battles
The Democratic legislative leaders and the governor agreed to squirrel away $260 million in lump-sum appropriations to various state agencies last spring. But now some groups are figuring out that a big pile of state money is just sitting there and they are trying to stake their claims. This came to light last month when…
Jolie a powerhouse in Maria biopic, Carry-On an exciting action movie
Jolie’s powerhouse performance allows Maria to sing A bracing reminder of the power she brings to the screen, Angelina Jolie delivers a deeply moving performance in Pablo Larrain’s Maria, the director’s third biopic focused on a significant female figure of the 20th century. Much like Jackie and Spencer, this feature examines the withering effects of being…
Springfield gets a city planner
Sean Pritchard is many things: 35 years old, a father of five, a lifelong northender and, as of this month, the first city planner in Springfield’s 203-year history. His appointment to the post within the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, which garners a salary of nearly $90,000, raised eyebrows among some in the…
Amy Rasing slated as new director of OPED
Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher wants to promote the city’s operations coordinator for state and federal grants to head the Office of Planning and Economic Development. Buscher told Illinois Times on Dec. 10 that she will ask the City Council to approve Amy Rasing to succeed the retiring Val Yazell as director of the office. The…
Amazon hub is coming to Springfield
It appears that Amazon, one of America’s Big Five technology companies, will open and operate a planned $20 million warehouse and distribution center in 2025 at North Dirksen Parkway and Bissell Road in Springfield. Sangamon County property records show Amazon bought a 31-acre site at the Springfield’s intersection’s southeast corner for $2.85 million on Nov.…
Illinois better prepared for recession now
State lawmakers will face a projected budget deficit and slowing revenue when they return to Springfield in January, but a new report shows fiscal decisions made in recent years have put Illinois in a better position to handle a recession than any time in recent decades. No state is immune from the negative effects of…
Dairy Rhythms 3: The pasture
What can be more leisurely than cows wandering in tall grass or lying down chewing their cuds or getting up to wander andante behind the herdsman up to the barn to be milked? 2024 Jacqueline Jackson
Letters to the editor 12/12/24
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY It seems strange that Josh Langfelder – both during the race and after the final results were announced – never mentioned that he would even research the consolidation of the recorder’s…
Gifts that keep on giving
The holiday season is upon us, and for the curious cooks and bakers in our lives, there’s no better gift than a new cookbook to inspire their culinary adventures. This fall saw the release of several wonderful cookbooks that are sure to spark creativity. These are my top picks for the best new cookbooks for…
December-ing music
Hello, fellow music appreciators and participators, who are perhaps currently all decked out with lovely to-do lists accompanied by less and less time to accomplish said lists. As we approach mid-December, I invite you to join me in experiencing the wonders of the season as seen through our Springfield music scene and forget about those…
Hear arias, Christmas classics in second annual fundraiser
Area music lovers once again have a chance to experience some incredible talent in an intimate venue while helping a local nonprofit. On Dec. 21, hear world-renowned tenor Emmanuel di Villarosa perform famous arias and Christmas classics. Di Villarosa, a native of New York, moved to Springfield in 2021 after many years of performing in…
