Make a wish
If you could wish for anything right now, what would it be? That’s the question that’s been posed to residents of Lewis Memorial Christian Village, a senior community in Springfield. “I think people are at their best when they’re serving others,” said Kelley Tierney, director of sales and marketing for Lewis Memorial. The effort is…
Films to watch at home
Now that movie watching has become a home-viewing option for the time being, this space will be devoted to small reviews of films that can be seen on various streaming services, cable channels and video-on-demand. This space will be fluid and include as many new viewing options each week as possible to provide a wide…
Human error suspected in CWLP mishap
Human error may have contributed to a malfunction at a City Water, Light and Power generator in November that resulted in a fire and stands to cost the city at least $1 million. The failure was the subject of discussion during a recent city council executive session. “We were definitely told that there were some…
Backyard baked beans
Maybe it’s the pandemic talking, but I can’t remember the little blue flowers in my front yard ever looking so vivid, or the sun on my face feeling this blissful. I’m grateful for this new season like never before. As the temperature slowly nudges its way out of the refrigeration zone, I’ve been outside as…
Cooking your way through a crisis
There’s nothing like a pandemic to make us realize how fragile we are. It is quite unsettling to realize how unprepared our governing bodies and health care services were as they try to manage this crisis. We look to them for guidance and the best advice they are able to offer is to wash our…
No place to go
The Illinois Department of Corrections has stopped accepting new inmates, and that’s causing consternation at the Sangamon County Jail. Sheriff Jack Campbell says the county on Thursday had eight inmates sentenced and ready for transfer to the state. He said the department started expediting transfer paperwork after learning of Gov. JB Pritzker’s order barring the…
Coronavirus resource and info guide
The State of Illinois has set up a website with a list of resources and links to information, here. From the World Health Organization: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome…
Community in the time of coronavirus
In recent days, coronavirus has “turned things upside down” for Jonna Cooley, who heads Springfield’s Phoenix Center. The center is the area’s premier LGBTQ community resource, providing support groups, housing, STD testing and other services. Normal routines have largely screeched to a halt as a result of efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19. The…
“It takes time”
A psychologist who coordinates care for transgender inmates in the Illinois Department of Corrections says he disagrees with the opinion of a federal judge who late last year questioned whether prison officials take seriously the needs of transgender inmates. “We’re actually going above and beyond, looking at details the average person probably isn’t even thinking…
Ryan’s fierce performance saves Girls
In December 2010, a police dog made a grisly discovery in a remote area of New York’s Suffolk County – a badly decomposed body of a young woman. Tragically, this was the first of many such discoveries as this proved to be a dumping ground for a serial killer who preyed on young escorts. The…
Editor’s note 3/26/20
Politicians seem bent on getting through the national health crisis without discussing health. Now that Michelle Obama is history, the only exercise we’re asked to do is wash our hands. Governors get excited about having a daily press briefing to order us around without going through the legislature. But that is getting old. What if…
After the virus is over
Hard times and shocks often produce needed change, for individuals and for a nation. A dramatic shock to a life of routine can produce change that reason and discourse can only envy. The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 wreaked death and destruction which unsettled belief in a loving and benevolent God. I remember vividly how…
Community spread is perpetuating COVID-19
“We know now, just the fact of community spread says that at least 1%, at the very least 1% of our population is carrying this virus in Ohio today.” That was Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton speaking on March 12, when Ohio had only five confirmed COVID-19 cases. One percent of Ohio’s…
pigeon poem #3
pidgie who thinks she’s a chicken has held center stage here before today she rose to heights of glory a squirrel invaded the henhouse he’d done it before eaten the eggs but not this time “for,” reported my son-in-law who came on the scene “he met pidgie sitting on the hen eggs” (you recall she’s…
What were we thinking?
What do we think? Our race and income determine how we feel about certain things, a lot of us struggle with daily living expenses, and we are a fairly trusting lot, unless you happen to be a politician. We also like it here, but maybe our young folks should move away. Every two years Sangamon…
Letters to the editor 3/26/20
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to letters@illinoistimes.com. COVID-19 DEATHS AS COMMON AS LIGHTNING STRIKES When I was in college my math professor said, “When you are in a sticky situation, calculate the odds of catastrophe. That will often put things in perspective.”…
Lament for live theater
Across the world, and here in our city, stages have gone dark. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Hoogland Center for the Arts LRS Theater witnessed a unique collaboration of the theater community with Springfield Ballet Company in a dance production of Romeo and Juliet. The contributions of a number of actors, plus a…
More playing now than before
Last week sure seems like a lot longer ago than just last week, but time is relative and it’s been in a relatively strange and peculiar mode as of late. I have no desire to dwell upon the recent changes that each of us has experienced in some form or another, but there’s no way…
Pop/punk for charity
As the effects of COVID-19 spread, musicians have been hit especially hard but some area bands are getting creative. Local pop/punk rockers Hospital Job just released a new four-track EP of covers on their bandcamp with all funds going to Direct Relief USA, an organization for dealing with emergencies in the USA and worldwide. McNeill…
A DOG’S LIFE
Let’s say you’re a black Labrador assigned to the courthouse, licking hands, giving folks something to pet and otherwise comforting victims and witnesses as they deal with the consequences of crime. Let’s also say that the courthouse has been largely shut down due to pandemic. What’s a dog to do? In the case of Gibson,…
