Illinois Times, the capital city's weekly source of news, politics, arts, entertainment, culture
Illinois Times, the capital city's weekly source of news, politics, arts, entertainment, culture
Matthew Pinsker, Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln. W.W. Norton, 2026; 564 pp., notes, index, illustrations. $39.99. Many of the thousands of books about Abraham Lincoln are specialized to some degree, rather than full biographies. Topics may be very narrow or quite broad, but still are focused on some specific aspect of Lincoln’s…
We finally enjoyed our first homegrown salad this week. Normally we’d have been feasting on greens much sooner, but an unseasonably hard cold snap decimated our first plantings of lettuce a few weeks back and we had to replant. This cherished first salad was simply dressed with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, good olive…
Mayday, mayday! Look out, folks, it’s already Memorial Day weekend with summer time fun just around the corner, over the hill and down the block, with a stop off at Aunt Martha’s house to see Cousin Fred first. However you slice or dice it, cut or shut it, it’s here so here we go. From…
Cassandra Simpson has been performing as a stand-up comedian in Springfield for three years. For two of those years, she was the host for The Wakery’s open mic, but that gig came to an end when the venue closed its doors in August of 2025. The end of the downtown venue left aspiring local comics…
Advancing the calls to action: From community insight to accountability and implementation | Sat., May 30, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | BOS Center MEETINGS | Organizers plan antiracism workshop This workshop is aimed at empowering justice-oriented organizations and individuals interested in understanding systemic racism. According to organizers, it will “focus on the use of antiracism principles…
As prices for gas and necessities keep climbing, the Illinois General Assembly is considering closing corporate tax loopholes and taxing offshore accounts or Illinois billionaires’ net worths while the state continues to rely on a growing share of personal income tax to fill the state’s general revenue fund. For Illinoisans just trying to get by,…
FOLLOWING PROCEDURE I work in state procurement and this is just how it is, unfortunately (ABC loses State Fair contract,” May 7). It’s whatever is most advantageous to the state. It’s a sealed quote; everyone has the same opportunity as everyone else. There isn’t a saddest story exemption. In two years, the American Business Club…
What is it like to be 98, tra la? I have all of my bits and most of my wits except those that are gone that I might try to hail if I could but glimpse a vanishing tail Are you a turn-pager? If so, I will wager You’ve not reached this stanza. I’ll stop…
There are two stories about an exhibit at the Peoria Riverfront Museum (PRM), which honors America’s history from before Europeans arrived through the Civil Rights era. One is how a museum in central Illinois got renowned American history filmmaker Ken Burns to be a guest curator – his first time doing so anywhere. The other…
“Exquisite Creatures”is a unique and inspiring exhibition where nature becomes art, now on display at the Peoria Riverfront Museum through Aug. 9. Christopher Marley collects beetles, butterflies, seashells, snakes and other creatures from all over the world. He preserves and assembles them into mesmerizing artistic displays intended to spark curiosity and an appreciation of the…
If you aren’t able to literally make the drive to “get your kicks on Route 66,” you can still experience the famous road at the Illinois State Museum’s exhibit Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66, opening May 23. The exhibit will highlight what it was like to travel, eat, stay and work along the…
In 1906, when it was no longer dangerous to talk about those who helped enslaved people seek freedom, Jacksonville resident Julia Carter, whose family were local abolitionists, gave a speech about the town’s extensive Underground Railroad (UGRR). This was the network of helpers and “safe houses” freedom seekers used to reach safe locations, such as…
The joy of unplugged time with a child is easy for some caregivers. They start conversations during stroller walks, grocery shopping and meals in the high chair and never stop sharing stories and songs from the bedroom to the backyard and beyond. They listen together for life’s soundscape and watch for weather. For others, it…
Plenty of photo ops, pedestrian attractions and a new plaza make Pontiac a must-see site for anyone celebrating the 100th birthday of Route 66. You will not be alone, if predictions for a record year hold. Liz Vincent, Pontiac’s community enrichment and tourism director, says the town’s Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum typically…
Theatre in the Park (TIP) in Petersburg has another unique and exciting season planned for summer. If you’re considering a return trip to be surrounded by history and nature or planning a first-time visit to this well-kept secret for performers and audience members alike, here’s a glimpse into what’s in store. I Remember Mama May…
Most people train all year to run a marathon. Tomasz Sobania runs one every day. Since May 10, the Polish endurance runner began a quest to run 26 miles – the official length of a marathon – every day. But wait, there’s more: he’s doing it in a new state every day. Sobania started the…
Spring in Central Illinois is the perfect time to put your business in front of new customers—and the Women Entrepreneurs of Central Illinois (WECI) Women’s Business Showcase is built to do exactly that. Join us on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for one of the region’s most anticipated events celebrating women-owned…
