Cover Story
Route 66 Mother Road Festival drives in
Just a few months ago, Springfield’s longest running, best attended and highest grossing homegrown festival, was nearly lost in the wind like the exhaust fumes from a classic hot rod car. With cooperation between the city of Springfield, concerned citizens and longtime participants in the event, the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival is now…
Letters to the editor 9/23/21
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. —- DIFFERENT RESULTS? The case against Hunter Lake is overwhelming, but why would the Army Corps of Engineers allow construction of another unmaintained lake to satisfy needs which do not exist (“The imaginary, languishing lake,”…
Sullivan causes confusion with combat claims
Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul Schimpf has mostly followed Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment and avoided speaking ill of his Republican opponents. Until now. When a relative unknown named Jesse Sullivan jumped into the race earlier this month with a nearly $11 million out-of-state-funded campaign war chest, state Sen. Darren Bailey and businessperson Gary Rabine both called…
Fair compensation?
So who is “James Doe?” That’s the pseudonym assigned to a man who accused former U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert of sexual assault. The man alleges that when he was in school decades ago, Hastert, then a wrestling coach, molested him. More than 30 years later, in 2010, when Hastert was raking in…
Opportunity in empty offices
The COVID-19 pandemic has hastened the decline of many businesses in which staff have come to office settings. Work performed in offices can be performed via the internet and worldwide electronic networks. On-site office work and face-to-face meetings are largely no longer necessary. Because of these changes in the workplace, as well as the increase…
The future of independent restaurants
In early 2020, Nick Kokanas saw the coronavirus catastrophe coming way before the rest of us did. Kokonas is the founder of Tock, an online reservation platform utilized by many high-end restaurants around the world. While looking at Tock data coming in from his 50 restaurant clients in Hong Kong, “we saw reservations go near…
Upheaval in Alton
The 1830s were a volatile decade in the United States. Andrew Jackson, president until 1837, encouraged more rights for working class white males at the expense of the elite. Many Easterners moved to the Midwest. Various innovations led to a booming economy, which then busted in the Panic of 1837. Antislavery sentiment began to grow…
September songs
Hello everybody, and welcome to the waning weeks of September 2021 as we enjoy the beginnings of the autumnal season. Our live music scene continues onward, bolstered now by the cooler evening temps (mostly) and plenty of stuff a-happening. First, let me apologize for getting ahead of myself last week when announcing the upcoming music…
A unique heritage on display
The Jacksonville Area Museum, a new institution showcasing the community’s unique heritage and culture, will officially open to the public on Saturday. Located in the old post office building, the museum will use original artifacts and storytelling exhibits to show why Jacksonville is a one-of-a-kind community. The exhibits prepared for the opening will feature institutions,…
Year-long waits for FOID cards
Brent Urfer is a man who follows the rules. He’s an upstanding citizen who teaches school, pays taxes and obeys the law. The Christian County man never has been convicted of any crime. Nonetheless, he was turned away when he attempted to buy ammunition from a Springfield farm supply store. Why? His Firearm Owner’s Identification,…
A bargain hunter’s paradise
The Animal Protective League (APL) will hold its annual Upscale Collectible Sale this Friday and Saturday at White Oaks Mall in the upper level of the space previously occupied by Bergner’s. The sale will include furniture, antiques, jewelry, tools, home décor, books, movies, holiday items and toys – a two-year accumulation of donated items. All…
Women’s fund tops $1 million
The Women’s Fund at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln recently reached $1 million. This accomplishment is made possible by local philanthropic women pooling their resources through the Women for Women giving circle. Established in 2006, the Women’s Fund is an endowment, providing a permanent fund for annual grantmaking. In total, the Women’s…
Editors note 9/23/21
Social media put out word Monday that there was a “heavy police presence in Harvard Park,” but it was a joke. Turns out a half dozen cops showed up to serve hot dogs at the Harvard Park Neighborhood Association meeting, which drew 30 or so residents. City council members Kristin DiCenso and Shawn Gregory share…
Taking on “critical race theory” critics
A new national movement that aims to support the teaching of accurate history launched earlier this month with a call including more than 2,500 people from across the U.S. Learn from History is a coalition taking a stand against efforts to ban teaching about racism and other forms of oppression in public K-12 schools. The…
CWLP looks to solar
City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) has begun formulating a plan to add significant solar-power generation in light of forthcoming changes due to a measure signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker last week. It sets Illinois on track to end the use of coal for electricity by 2045. CWLP chief utility engineer Doug Brown…
Armadillo found in Sangamon County
An armadillo is an odd-looking mammal with bony plates covering its back, head, legs and tail. It’s also not your typical roadkill in Sangamon County. Recently a dead armadillo was found on Yucan Drive in Springfield, behind a car dealership just north of Wabash Avenue. Someone notified the Illinois State Museum of the unusual find.…
Eastwood anchors Macho, Blue Bayou is a gem, but schmaltz hobbles The Starling
A self-reflective Eastwood anchors Macho There’s no getting around the fact that Cry Macho is a slight work, a film that would be discarded out of hand if it weren’t from Clint Eastwood. At 91, this is the 40th movie he’s directed — as such, should we grade this effort on a curve? Many his…
Fire station strategies
Visit Springfield Fire Department Station #1 on East Capitol Avenue and you will see the firefighters’ pole near the garage entrance. It’s partially enclosed by a metal railing – as if it were a shrine to the profession. The city’s 206 firefighters now take the stairs to respond to fires or, increasingly, to attend to…
alzheimer’s poem #1
my beloved first writing prof had alzheimer’s in his old age he had excellent care at a nearby facility: one of his nurses reported she’d found him wandering with agitation distraction, asked the matter: “are you looking for something? have you lost something?” chad replied “I am looking for myself.” 2021 Jacqueline Jackson
