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Spring Guide
All things Spring for you to prepare for seasonal growth and enjoyment! Related Related Related Related Related Related Related Related Stories
Who’s paying? Who knows?
Under state law, the public is supposed to know who pays for political ads. But a political action committee run by Frank Vala, a Leland Grove resident long active in local politics, is paying for attack ads against William McCarty in the city treasurer’s race with virtually no way of the public knowing who’s paying…
Another fine for Blue Cross
It’s unclear whether a $605,000 fine that the parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois recently paid to the state for violating a “network adequacy” law will result in Springfield Clinic returning to the insurer’s preferred-provider network. Between 55,000 and 100,000 central Illinois patients covered by Blue Cross plans lost in-network access…
Practical ways to celebrate Earth Day
As the earth heats up and we continue to plunge further into the effects of climate change, grapple with limited natural resources and observe the tremendous loss of natural habitats, it has become more important than ever to raise awareness about environmental issues. Adena Rivas, program manager of Waste & Recycling for the City of…
Editor’s note 03-16-23
If you’re one of those who have been losing sleep worrying about all those people who have more than $250,000 in their bank accounts, more than the insured-deposit limit, you may now rest assured. It turns out that the median net worth of U.S households is $140,500, and half of those have bank deposits of…
On stage this spring
It’s not going to take long for the theater and music scene to warm up this spring, but in a bit of a twist, the first theater production of the season is on ice. The Springfield Figure Skating Club’s Spotlight on Ice Show takes place on March 18 and 19 at the Nelson Center Ice…
Cutting out declawing
Illinois veterinarians are fighting tooth and nail against a measure to outlaw cat declawing. House Bill 1533, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, aims to outlaw the surgical removal of any cat’s claws, with few exceptions. The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association contends the bill puts cats – and their owners– at risk. But the…
Strangler fast-paced, Moving On enjoyable, 65 is abysmal
Strangler needs room to breathe Unlike the crime procedural approach taken by the 1968 Tony Curtis film of the same name, Matt Ruskin’s Boston Strangler takes a far different look at the infamous killer. It focuses not only on the tenacious efforts of two female reporters who broke the story but provides a more in-depth…
Connecting the dots
Springfield residents are invited to go online, attend public meetings and voice opinions on a master plan in the works for the downtown and Mid-Illinois Medical District. Collaborators in the planning process, funded with a $150,000 state grant and private contributions, recently launched a website – SpringfieldMasterPlan.com – to inform the public and solicit suggestions…
Be inspired by art
Art is one of the things that Springfield does, does well and does often. We are lucky to have some incredible talent amongst us and plenty of places to see their work, and spring is the time to get out and about and do just that. Home-grown art studios and galleries are some of the…
Spring Guide Calendar
“Dreaming” Fridays, Saturdays, 12-6pm, through April 29. View all new work in a wide range of media such as blown glass, glass mosaic, graphite, metal work, mixed media, paintings in both acrylic and oil, pastels, photography and sculpture. Free. The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space, 623 E. Adams St., 217-899-9786. pharmacygallery.com. Friday Nights at DIM…
Bringing the underground railroad to a modern audience
The underground railroad was a secret collection of safehouses used by runaway slaves before the Civil War to escape bondage. Harboring escaped slaves was a criminal offense, so written records of underground railroad activity are scarce. State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, has cosponsored a bill to create the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force charged with…
St. Pat’s party up
Great Caesar’s ghost, it’s past the Ides of March and I’ve yet to pull a pun on the word march for this month, but at least I got one in the column headline this week. We could march back to March Fourth (forth) or spend some time on March Fourteenth (3.14, Pi Day) or move…
Nonprofits donate thousands of meals
Over 100,000 donated precooked ready-to-eat meals are being distributed in central Illinois and overseas as a result of a collaboration among far-flung Rotary Clubs and nonprofit organizations. A container with more than 23,000 individual meals is enroute to Turkey. Arrangements are being made to ship another container to Ukraine. Pallets of meals have already been…
Stock recommendation
Restaurants that care about the well-being of their employees make sure that their basic needs are met. At Audrey in Nashville, where I’m employed, work stops every afternoon for a half hour so the team can gather for a communal family meal. The responsibility of preparing family meal rotates through the kitchen staff. Recently it…
Irish poem #6
Irish poem #6 the famous writer’s son himself a so-so writer said to us over lamb and parsnips poetry is lazy just farting around prose makes words work I didn’t remind him that each word in a poem has to do heavy lifting 2023 Jacqueline Jackson
Letters to the editor 03-16-23
TOO LATE While I don’t want to point fingers, there has been a lack of communication and connectivity between all parties (“Attempted rescue,” March 6). That is the reason why the Historic Sites Commission didn’t take any action on Monday, March 6. Nobody enjoys being blindsided at the 11th hour. Bob Immel Member, Historic Sites…
State tries to address behavioral health infrastructure
Gov. JB Pritzker declared last week when announcing the formation of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center that the state was building “the best behavioral health system in the nation.” It was quite a bold thing to say. So, my associate Isabel Miller and I asked a couple of follow-up questions: How long will this…
The purpose of fasting
Having married a Catholic and now being the only Protestant in a household of six, I’ve learned a few things in the past 20 years. One of those things I’ve learned is how to bake really good macaroni and cheese during Lent. Like many families, we don’t eat meat on Ash Wednesday and the following…
Please hurry, spring
Gazing through the frosty glass, my eyes fixed on winter’s gray gloom. Beyond the snow-crusted stubbles of yesterday’s corn, black and naked trees clawed at the sky desperate for the sun. Day-dreaming in the fading twilight, my thoughts turned back to the dawn of last spring; sunshine and showers brought rainbows to the hills where…
Chihuly in the garden
The Sun is rising in St. Louis this year and is sure to be a big hit. That’s because the Missouri Botanical Garden is hosting an exhibit of world-famous artist Dale Chihuly’s blown glass sculptures, including “Sun” in the day lily area. “It is a large yellow and red sculpture with hundreds of pieces of…
Go the distance
Now that the weather has warmed (hopefully for good) and the days have gotten sunnier and longer, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of walkers and joggers rushing past my front window. Whether you are a longtime or novice runner or walker, this spring in Springfield offers plenty of shorter-distance race opportunities to test…
Jeff Dunham’s “Still Not Canceled” tour comes to Springfield
Jeff Dunham’s “’Still Not Cancelled” tour rolled through Springfield’s BOS Center on Friday, March 17, packing the house close to full capacity. Bringing along all his usual characters and professional puppetry, Dunham showed Springfield why he is at the top of his profession with characters like Walter, Achmed, and my favorite, Bubba J. There…
Flower power
The Washington Park Botanical Garden is a tropical respite for skilled hobbyists and curious amateurs alike. What better way to kick off your spring season than by seeing some of the best flowers Springfield has to offer at the Washington Park Botanical Garden’s 49th annual Spring Floral Display? Alexa Bryan Potts, botanical general manager, says…
