Cover Story
Revitalizing Robin Roberts Stadium
The crack of a bat, the cheer of a crowd and smiles exchanged between a grandparent and child weave a tapestry of memories on Springfield’s north end. But that tapestry is getting frayed and the future of Robin Roberts Stadium is being pondered. Is it a valued amenity or white elephant? Last year, the Lucky…
Cash bail will end in Illinois as justices rule SAFE-T Act provisions constitutional
A landmark criminal justice reform that eliminates cash bail in Illinois is constitutional, the state’s Supreme Court ruled July 18, paving the way for the change to take effect Sept. 18. The 5-2 decision – handed down on partisan lines – means that an individual’s wealth will no longer play a role in whether they…
Bullets Over Broadway
Bullets Over Broadway The show is lively if not timely THEATER | Jamila Wicks The production of Bullets Over Broadway at The Legacy Theatre has a few enjoyable moments. However, it does not fully meet expectations in terms of providing “the best medicine for the times,” as the musical’s director, Chaz Wolcott, hopes. In his…
A French-themed fete
Francophiles rejoice! Excuses to throw on a beret and eat delicious Provencal cuisine abound this weekend. Beauty and the Beast opens at the Muni July 13 (running through July 22). The Tour de France cycling race is just past the halfway point and Bastille Day (the French holiday commemorating the storming of the notorious Bastille…
Darren Bailey challenges US Rep. Mike Bost
The last time a sitting Illinois Republican congressperson faced a real primary challenge from a non-incumbent was more than seven years ago, when then-state Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, challenged US Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville. Even so, nobody really thought McCarter had much of a chance, and, as expected, he ended up losing to Shimkus by…
The whitest profession
Last summer I met my first Black veterinarian. I was accompanying my wife’s colleague to a veterinary conference in North Carolina and we sat down for lunch with a group of other animal doctors. One of them happened to be African American. What’s remarkable about this first-time encounter is that I’m the son and husband…
Tom Cruise is on a mission to thrill, Red Door effectively wraps up Insidious franchise
Cruise continues to thrill with Dead Reckoning I suppose there is an exception to every rule. The law of diminishing returns states that “benefits from something will grow proportionally smaller as more energy is invested in it.” Inexplicably, every sequential entry of the Mission: Impossible franchise disproves this notion, each a testament to the imagination…
Show me the money
The way Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher figures it, economic incentives available to the owner of the Wyndham City Centre hotel for a proposed $58 million renovation total about half of what the previous mayor estimated. Rather than the $18.75 million in tax-related incentives described by former mayor Jim Langfelder, Buscher said the assistance package of…
Derecho
Derecho Derecho, Derecho, Derecho: The worst weather Springfield has had since Easter 1978 and the Friday my family chose to drive down to Springfield! Two hours standing still above Lincoln then all traffic diverted to side roads Athens Petersburg etc. Then Springfield with no power not even street lights yet apparently…
Why Ukraine matters so much
Who prevails, Russia or Ukraine, will largely determine the quality of life around the world in coming years. The outcome will either divide the world into two opposing camps or give the West an opportunity to rebuild a world order based on rules of peace. Continued strong support for Ukraine from the West is vital.…
Editor’s note 07-13-23
What a bright light she was, Emma Shafer, the 24-year-old activist and community organizer who was the victim of a homicide in Springfield this week. In the two years since she graduated with a degree in urban studies from The New School in New York City, Emma has been applying her education and energy to…
Illinois hotels report record evenues for fiscal year 2023
For hoteliers, business is booming in Illinois. On July 10, Gov. JB Pritzker, the state’s legislative leadership and representatives of the hospitality industry announced that hotels in Illinois saw record revenues in fiscal year 2023, which ended June 30. Across the state, hotels brought in $307.8 million, according to figures from the state’s Department of…
Future fests, fairs and fun
If there ever was a time of contrast in weather and circumstances, the last two weekends make for a good study. From power outages and high heat to lovely temps and a return to normalcy, we had it all. I daresay, what’s in store for this week? Let’s take a moment to look ahead for…
The little library at the Black firehouse
Gail Simpson and Kathryn Harris stand in front of a building at 1310 E. Adams. “This is where history and literacy come together,” Simpson says. The building, now owned by the Central Lodge #3 Prince Hall Masons, was once Firehouse No. 5 “The First Black Firehouse.” A large historical marker in the yard tells its…
Letters to the editor 07-13-23
THE CRIME OF EXISTING About one month on, Rev. Eric Hansen now says he was talking about the case of 16-year-old Abbigail Wheeler, who will be speaking at a press conference sponsored by the right-wing Illinois Freedom Caucus, and thus claims vindication (“Spreading fear about transgender people,” June 8). But when you read the complaint…
Emma Marie Shafer
Emma Marie Shafer, 24, community organizer, died July 11, 2023. A Springfield native born on April 13, 1999, she graduated from Springfield High School, received an associate degree in political science at Lincoln Land Community College, and earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies from the New School in New York City. She was the…
A successful first season for The Lincolns of Springfield
If you are a Lincoln history buff or if you simply love musical theater, treat yourself to The Lincolns of Springfield, currently playing at the Hoogland Center for the Arts through July 16. Be ready for songs that will fill your heart, stir your soul and stay with you long after the performance. I experienced…
Editor’s note 07-06-23
The July 4 holiday had us thinking about freedom again, just after Juneteenth celebrated emancipation from slavery. Free-ish was a theme then, with many Black citizens reminding us that racial justice is not yet achieved. This is a time for appreciating relative peace and prosperity, while working to enlarge freedom for others, both at home…
