City council passes budget
Water rates in Springfield will rise 32% beginning March 1 and another 32% a year later after contentious debate among City Council members and a 7-3 vote on Feb. 20. “We don’t have a choice,” Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer said of the increases, the first since 2011. He blamed prior city councils and prior…
Navigating the journey of change: Let our voices be heard
“The time is always right to do what is right.” -Martin Luther King Jr. Growing up, my passion has always been to seek change for a better world — one that is fair and just for everyone who has struggled against various injustices and unfairness. It is my belief that this change can only occur…
Lying catches up to Tim Mapes
“Everybody gets pinched, but you did it right; you told ’em nothin’ and they got nothin’” Jimmy Conway told a youthful Henry Hill in the classic gangster movie Goodfellas after the mob-connected teenager was arrested for selling stolen cigarettes, clammed up to the police and was then released by a corrupt judge. “You learned the…
The sandwich generation
The term “sandwich generation” was first coined in the 1980s by sociologists Dorothy Miller and Elaine Brody to identify people in their 30s and 40s who were taking care of their children as well as their elderly parents or extended family members. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 54% of Americans in their 40s…
Reaching out with art
The Springfield Art Association and Springfield School District 186 have entered into a partnership that allows art to flourish for students selected to participate. The program in total involves 52 District 186 students this year, with 16 high school and 10 grade school students participating each semester. SAA asked art teachers from the three Springfield…
Ginormous Jorts and Best Wishes
I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the many things I love about children’s literature is the author’s ability to help young readers learn a lesson, at times without explicitly calling out that lesson. As a parent, kid lit can be a helpful tool to use when conversations are difficult or when your child needs…
Pair a book and movie
Every parent on the planet likely knows the importance of reading as it relates to their kids’ future literacy. You probably also know that when very young children are read to their vocabulary increases and their language development blossoms. Reading with your kids is also quality time that ultimately strengthens the parent/child bond. And it’s…
Family event calendar
FEBRUARY Lilacs and Letters Through March 22. This one-act play features a single actor portraying Walt Whitman, one of America’s most influential poets, as Whitman processes the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and tends to wounded Civil War soldiers. Free with admission. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., 217-558-8844. Ho Etsu Tauko Drummers Sat.,…
