Cover Story
The impossible task of providing child care
Though the governor promised to make Illinois “the best state” to raise young children, child care continues to disappear. And, as one couple learned, there’s almost no help for those building a child care facility from the ground up. Heather and Stephen Casner sat across from the loan officer in the fall of 2022, a…
Madigan guilty of bribery conspiracy as jury returns partial verdict
Former Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, has joined the list of Illinois political figures who’ve been convicted on public corruption charges after a federal jury Wednesday found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts. But the jury, which deliberated for roughly 65 hours over two weeks following…
Trump pardons Blagojevich five years after commutation cut prison time short
President Donald Trump on Monday granted a full pardon to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted on 18 corruption counts, including for his attempt to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat in 2008 – and who holds the distinction of being the state’s only impeached governor. Trump’s pardon comes five years after…
Illinois locked in legal battles with Trump administration over immigration policy
Illinois participated in one court battle with the Trump administration Thursday when a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of an executive order that sought to end “birthright citizenship” under the U.S. Constitution. But the legal battles between the state and the White House over immigration policy continued along other fronts this week as well. The…
Reducing homelessness, improving health: How supportive housing can build a stronger community
For those experiencing homelessness, every day can feel like a struggle for survival. In the face of each day’s uncertainty, one of the few constants is difficulty. Every turn poses complications that create barriers to accessing life’s basic needs and the stability and safety people long for. Local organizations and advocates work to provide some…
Birthright: An invasion or a right?
The divine invective of Genesis 1:1-3 affirms the right and responsibility of mankind to reproduce and fill the Earth. Thus, wherever mankind goes and settles, he still operates under the Directives of God. After all, Psalm 24 reaffirms that “The Earth is the Lord’s; the world and they that dwell therein.” Thus, wherever mankind settles,…
State anticipates budget struggles
Gov. JB Pritzker has “revised” his remarks about not raising taxes to balance the budget. “It’s very important that we live within our means in this state, and that we not resort to tax increases as a way to, you know, to balance the budget,” Pritzker said on Jan. 30. Last week, when I asked…
Protestors gather outside Illinois Capitol, call for Trump’s impeachment
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk. The group stood in the rain holding signs and chanting phrases like “dump Trump, deport Elon” and “no Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA.” The protest was announced in an Instagram post last week as…
Springfield parents struggle with lack of child care options
Dani Clark began this year with a newborn daughter and a need to find a day care spot to enable her to return to work. What she learned left the new Springfield mom stunned. “Most of the day cares have been pretty good about getting back to me,” she said. “But they all tell me…
City Council enacts new conflict-of-interest standards
The Springfield City Council voted 8-0 on Feb. 4 to spend about $1.5 million in TIF funds to help a local couple renovate a dilapidated building in the 300 block of East Adams Street. But the Ward 5 representative on the council, Lakeisha Purchase, who has worked with Martin and Laurie Haxel for two years…
Wake up. Stay woke.
The term “woke” has been a rallying cry for the political right for years. Things reached a fever pitch during the 2024 presidential campaigns with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calling it “a form of cultural Marxism” and “a war on the truth” and Nikki Haley labeling it “a virus worse than any pandemic.” Yikes, that’s…
Editors note 2/6/25
It could be that DEI was already a nice-sounding euphemism for anti-racism programs, with the thought that nobody would oppose diversity, equity and inclusion. But the anti-anti-racists now in power in Washington were not to be fooled. They have launched a full-scale attack on DEI, with its teaching about how racism can infest systems and…
Springfield school board highlights achievements and ACT test changes
The board highlights student successes in sports and arts, announces a career day, and discusses the shift from SAT to ACT for state testing. Updates on intensive school improvement plans and upcoming events are also covered. Watch the full Springfield District 186 Board of Education meeting on YouTube Monday, Feb. 3, 2025 (1 hour, 38…
Springfield City Council OKs procedures for filling executive vacancies
The council passes an ordinance on filling executive vacancies and rejects proposed amendments to the measure in the wake of the controversial resignation of former Clerk Frank Lesko. Concerns are voiced about the resignation of the Tree Commission. Watch the full Springfield City Council meeting on YouTube Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 (2hr 20min)
Glitch
Phil Kendell and I taught Kiddy Lit together. We usually had supper before class. One night we omitted the meal, we both knew the book well. We met two minutes before class, realized we had ordered a comic book for Tom Sawyer! What to do? We rapidly changed plans and spent the evening discussing various…
Letters to the editor 2/6/25
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — NO SAVINGS I retired as the chief deputy recorder of deeds in 2021 with a fair and equitable salary of $71,000 after 11 years of service. My replacement was hired at $60,000, or 15.5%…
Before the iconic horseshoe
The horseshoe is to Springfield what a cheesesteak is to Philadelphia, Italian beef is to Chicago, hot chicken is to Nashville and a muffuletta is to New Orleans – regional dishes that have achieved iconic status. In my travels, whenever I mention that I’m from Springfield, people will either remark: “Home of the Simpsons” (not…
In the shadow of legends
“Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame, Wake up the echoes cheering her name, Send a volley cheer on high, Shake down the thunder from the sky!” The position of head football coach at Notre Dame is one of the iconic jobs in the sporting world. Along with manager of the New York Yankees, head coach…
February music arrives
Here we go into our first full February weekend and it looks like a well-played hand with plenty of bands, if you understand the lay of the land. Don’t ask me why we’re rhyming stuff here, but you can ask me what’s going on in live music this weekend and I’ll do my best to…
Learn about this season’s shows and how to audition
This year, The Muni is celebrating its 75th anniversary season of Broadway Under the Stars. And for all of you actors out there, now is the time to learn how to be a part of it all. This Saturday, hear from the staffs of all four shows, find out what they are looking for and…
History in the spotlight in September 5, Companion a satirical thriller, You’re Cordially Invited passes the time
September 5 a gripping piece of history When ABC dispatched Roone Arledge and his Wide World of Sports team to cover the 1972 Olympics in Munich, they knew the event would be covered in the most comprehensive and engaging way possible. Having cut their teeth for over a decade presenting myriad sporting events from around…
Healing the world, Part I
That the world (and perhaps, primarily, our nation) needs to be healed is a premise few would dispute. One needs only be a conscious, thinking adult to discern the signs of its disease, which are both too numerous and too obvious to list. The old institutions which have served us well for hundreds of years…
Join United Way in Kitchen Table Experience
As United Way of Central Illinois prepares for its annual Campaign Celebration this March, community members, donors and partners will have a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the struggles many families face every day. The event will not only recognize the generosity of those who have contributed to this year’s campaign but will also feature…
