State historian parts ways with ALPLM
Sam Wheeler, Illinois state historian, has left the employ of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum. Wheeler’s departure, which occurred today, is the latest in a series of departures of top-level staff at the ALPLM. Alan Lowe, former director, was fired last fall by Gov. JB Pritzker after the director loaned a copy of the…
Thrilling Greyhound buoyed by vital message
I had hoped Aaron Schneider’s Greyhound would be a thrilling World War II epic, buoyed by strong performances, rich production values and the best modern special effects to bring this seagoing battle film to life. I wasn’t disappointed on any of these counts. But what I hadn’t anticipated was that the film would have me…
Madigan wants statues gone
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wants depictions of Stephen Douglas and Pierre Menard removed from the Capitol grounds. In a written statement issued Thursday, Madigan also he wants a statue of Martin Luther King, Jr., now placed on Second Street across the street from the Capitol, moved “to a location of more prominence and honor.”…
Shawn Gregory raw
Nearly three decades later, Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory struggles with that call for help. He was eight, his sister younger. Their grandmother had allowed them to stay with their mother, who was into drugs and not supposed to be alone with her kids. Mom left – Gregory remembers something about a hair appointment. I’ll…
Editor’s note 7/9/20
Last week’s cover story, “Reinventing police” by Bruce Rushton, included many ideas and hopes for the future, along with plenty of reasons for building something new and different where the old police department used to be. There is an opportunity now for reinventing almost everything. Even this summer, schools are being reinvented as the role…
African American museum hosts voter registrations
A lot is happening in our world right now. The board of directors of the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum (AAHM) has been moved and inspired by the large, diverse crowds protesting for justice and are inspired to do something. Have you thought about what you can do to help the cause…
State struggles to process claims
Months after the nation’s economy crashed and millions were (and continue to be) put out of work, a large group of Illinois House Democrats is still quite upset at the way Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is handling unemployment insurance claims. But the Pritzker administration is refusing to bend on their most important demands, saying the…
cat poem #3
we had lots of cats on our farm us kids named them all, some after the intriguing return-addresses on our mom’s letters from around the state (she was a state music clubs officer) a black barn kitten had a mangey neck our dad cured him with petro carbo salve the kit became a long black…
Letters to the editor 7/9/20
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to letters@illinoistimes.com. PROBLEMATIC POLICING While the article “Reinventing police” (July 2) does a fairly good job of providing multiple perspectives, it misses some key points. Focusing on officers like Tricia Langan distracts from the real issue: a…
Putting their money where the planet is
Public health problems, racism and climate change. Springfield sisters say these issues are interconnected and it is the work of the faithful to intervene. “Sustainability is critical for life,” said Rebecca Ann Gemma, prioress general for the Springfield Dominican Sisters. “Just as we need earth, earth needs us.” The sisters are taking the fight for…
GOOD NEWS
You gotta love pluck, and new blood, and so a proposed downtown bar and restaurant emporium is a good thing. Dubbed The Public Market, the development in a vacant building at 322 East Adams Street would include at least five restaurants – think quick-serve as opposed to white table cloths – as well as a…
BACK-TO-SCHOOL UNCERTAINTY
As the White House promises to pressure local governments to open schools in the fall, details for Springfield schools are still largely unknown. On Tuesday, July 7, President Donald Trump said, “We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.” That declaration comes as some parts of the…
Pandemic hits bars
Two bar owners who’ve shut down after employees tested positive for coronavirus say they wouldn’t have a problem with public officials issuing announcements when servers or other employees get infected. “I think it’s the public’s right to know,” says Scott Weitekamp, owner of Crows Mill Pub, which closed on June 28, about five hours after…
217 Burlesque, making Springfield weird
This July 4, a scene in downtown Springfield may as well have been out of New Orleans. As Frank Parker and his band played jazz for an outdoor Mardi Gras-themed party for a crowd of a few dozen people, a woman in a top hat, rainbow-colored sequined leotard and combat boots danced with fans made…
The Colored Section
It’s about as far as you can get from the main entrance to the sprawling Oak Ridge Cemetery, one of the nation’s most visited burial grounds. Go past the soaring monument to the Great Emancipator, meander a bit toward the north, pass the Wishing Well and maintenance shed, and take the steep, one-lane pavement that…
Patty pan, the fun little squash
Amid the myriad of jewel-toned produce available right now at local markets and farm stands are striking little vegetables (technically they’re fruits) vaguely reminiscent of flying saucers. These cheerful little cucurbits, known as patty pans, are a type of summer squash closely related to the more recognizable green and yellow zucchini, with a similar texture…
July music heats up
No doubt about it, as we roll through this year of oddities, at least July is getting hot like it’s supposed to and the live music scene is a scorcher as well. Even though we’ve lost all the big gigs at fairs and festivals and some little ones inside the bars, our outdoor club scene…
The Ex-Bombers
Blowing in from Charleston, Illinois, this devilish duo from the dark side of the shadowy streets brings a boisterous barrage that chews up the raunchy, randy, raucous and rockin’ stuff, then spits it out for you to enjoy. Self-described as a “seedy film noir pop duo” with a “sound and aesthetic that combines femme fatale…
Tales from the Vault
Join the Illinois State Museum’s curator of history, Erika Holst, online as she takes you on a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at the “Fashioning Illinois: 1820-1900” exhibition. The exhibition is comprised of the clothing that women produced, wore, cared for and disposed of, which helps to give us a glimpse into their lives. Participants will be…
