Cover Story
Suicide in solitary
Tiffany Rusher spent four months in a cell the size of a small bathroom. Then, she killed herself. The list of Rusher’s diagnoses over the years was long. Depression. Antisocial personality disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Bipolar disorder. Schizoaffective disorder. Borderline personality disorder. With a history of self harm dating as far back as 2014, Rusher…
Wanzo indicted
A top Illinois Secretary of State administrator ran a Ponzi scheme out of the state vehicle licensing division and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars, federal prosecutors allege in an indictment of Candace Wanzo made public Thursday. During a two-year period that ended in the spring of 2017, Wanzo, 57, stole more than $303,000 in…
DEATH BY DEADLINE
Last week’s demonstration outside the State Journal-Register, aptly, started nearly a half-hour late, as the paper’s newsroom staff and supporters protested a decision to move print deadlines from 9 p.m. (bad enough, considering the deadline was 11 p.m. not so long ago) to 4 p.m., which will presumably prevent print subscribers from getting election results…
PRAISE FOR PROTESTS
City council members and the mayor praised nonviolent protests against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Springfield in recent days. Several thousand people showed up for the events. After the council’s June 2 meeting, Black Lives Matter Springfield shared an open letter to the mayor and police chief about alleged comments made…
Will Springfield come out?
At Linda Renehan’s Springfield Vintage shop downtown, the values come easy. As does the conversation. Renehan loves to play “dress-up,” styling anyone willing who comes inside. The business is a passion project. She said for some “micro” businesses downtown such as hers, “We’re just having fun and trying to survive and provide a service to…
Venezuelan student shelters in Springfield
Sabrina Páez has a friendly smile, outgoing personality and is quick to engage in a lively conversation. Upon meeting her, it’s hard to believe she just turned 17. Páez has been attending Springfield High School since September as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Maracaibo, Venezuela. She should be headed to Grand Rapids with 500…
Japanese comfort food
According to a report published last month in ResearchAndMarkets.com, the market for dishwashing supplies is expected to grow by 275% as a consequence of everybody eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are presently sheltering in place in our school bus in a remote location inaccessible to meal delivery services, so I am constantly…
Symphony embraces technology
“Previous to the pandemic, things had been looking good and positive,” said Illinois Symphony Orchestra executive director Trevor Orthmann, during a phone conversation last week. “We had great concerts up until February – the season was going well.” Suddenly the ISO was faced with having to cancel 2020’s final two performances – and all other…
June music jangles
As we begin to see gigs return to venues following safe and sound practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there is a palpable sense of pressure releasing. It’s a reminder of all the good live music does for our sense of well-being and for our being sensible, as well. I just don’t feel like…
Green drives hope for the future
Much of what we hear about the environment these days is doom and gloom. The ozone layer is hopelessly damaged and depleted, the greenhouse effect is not being curbed, deforestation is a scourge that continues unabated and the disposal of waste is a continuing challenge. There seem to be solutions to these and many other…
Documentation of my frustration
April 9 – I filed for unemployment. My last day worked was 3/18/2020. I had worked four years as an associate at Kohl’s. April 20 – Received certification five days late. Certification date was 4/15/2020 and I received it by mail 4/20/2020. April 22, 23, 24 – Put in eight complaints with Illinois Department of…
Community education program
Lincoln Land Community College’s community education program is offering 10 free, noncredit online classes from now until June 30. Once signed up, participants can complete these courses at their own pace within three months. Classes include 12 Steps to a Successful Job Search, Managing Customer Service, Fundamentals of Supervision and Management, Personal Finance, Creating Webpages,…
Editor’s note 6/4/20
When race boils up and over, it is a new opportunity for parents to teach children about that problem, and about the value of protest. See Brandon Turley’s photo of Tiara Standage and her four children on page 6. It is an opportunity for a new generation of civil rights leaders – like Nykeyla Henderson…
Illinois begins to reopen, issues remain
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, in the period just prior to and just after Gov. JB Pritzker issued his first stay at home order in March, houses of worship in Illinois experienced 13 COVID-19 outbreaks, resulting in 88 cases. Since then, Illinois has seen no such outbreaks until one was revealed last…
ax poem #1
what? you’ve never thrown an ax? never even wanted to? I’ve wished to, at certain folk, but haven’t even heft a hatchet – well let me tell you there’s a new establishment in town called “realax” – get the clever pun? it is relaxing empowering gratifying the way you feel when the blade slams into…
Letters to the editor 6/4/20
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to letters@illinoistimes.com. PROTESTS DOUBLE STANDARD The “no mask, no restrictions, no stay-at-home order” rally organizers and protesters did not obtain permits for their protests at the Illinois State Capitol; were protesting in the streets and blocking traffic; were…
Springfielders say Black Lives Matter
It was far beyond what anyone had anticipated. Several hundred people drove together, their cars poured down Ninth Street and nearby roadways. They headed to the Sangamon County complex, the courthouse and jail. Vehicles were colorfully and creatively decorated with signs, many stating: Black Lives Matter. One read, “No justice, no peace, prosecute the police.”…
The show can’t go on yet
Gus Gordon is surrounded by 80,000 square feet of mostly empty space as he begins to work out of the Hoogland Center for the Arts more in the coming days. The Springfield organization’s head had been largely working from home, as had other staff. But the time has come to sift through the papers and…
