NAACP president seeks partnerships
Austin Randolph, Jr., knows that some people may be surprised by the initiatives he is taking in his new role as president of the Springfield Branch of the NAACP. He took the top position last year when Teresa Haley stepped aside. He and other officers were formally installed Jan. 30 at a ceremony downtown. One…
Explore Your Community
See what’s happening near you As events may be canceled or rescheduled at the last moment, please first check with the host or venue when making plans to attend an event. MARCH Illinois Prairie Pastel Society 2025 Members Show Through March 22. The show features artwork from the society’s statewide members. Free. Edwards Place, Springfield…
Big-city amenities in a small Arkansas town
How likely is it you can find in one trip all things Walmart, a stunning art museum and world-class mountain biking? Pretty likely if you visit Bentonville, in the northwest corner of Arkansas. With a population of 67,000 and growing, Bentonville is definitely the town Walmart built. Its world headquarters expand into new digs this…
Catching up with Debbie Ross and her band
Debbie Ross has sung for three U.S. presidents, a vice president and for more brides and grooms and bar patrons than she can remember, and she plans “to do something musically” after retiring later this year from a long career in state government. By day she is still a librarian at the state prison in…
Camp Compass kids receive handmade quilts and blankets
Compass for Kids is well-known in the Springfield community for the many ways it serves children and families through after-school and summer programs that provide academic and social-emotional support. Their goal is to empower Springfield children and families underserved by the community. Club Compass is an after-school program for students at five elementary schools in District…
Sunshine
Sunshine “We’re just trying to make Springfield better” – Sunshine Clemons, co-president, Black Lives Matter SPI PROFILE | Ed Wojcicki Last summer, a group of people attempted to disrupt a popular Levitt AMP concert on the Y Block in downtown Springfield. They were angry about the recent murder of Sonya Massey, and the scene grew tense,…
How to be awe-full
“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.” – Nisargadatta Maharaj Awe is defined as “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” It can come from different stimuli, including observing something extraordinary, a theoretical sense of being in someone’s presence and…
