Finding light in the darkness
Officially the darkest day of 2024 is the winter solstice on Dec. 21. It’s the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Parallel to that seasonal darkness is the current social, political and economic scene. It brings the feeling that dark days are upon us and have been for some time.…
Memories of Myers Brothers
When it was announced last month that Springfield’s iconic 98-year-old Myers Building would go up for auction, it sparked memories of the old Myers Brothers Department Store that brought many years of Christmas season bustle to downtown. Here is a remembrance of department store days gone by. For decades, downtown Springfield was a hustling, bustling…
Explore Your Community
As events may be canceled or rescheduled at the last moment, please first check with the host or venue when making plans to attend an event. DECEMBER Santa House at Kiwanis Park Fri., Dec. 20, 5-8pm, Sat., Dec. 21, 9am-12pm, Sun., Dec. 22, 12-4pm and Mon., Dec. 23, 5-8pm. Make magical memories this holiday season…
Quilt City USA
Many of us enjoy bundling up in a quilt or two when winter winds howl, but if you want to appreciate quilts even more, head to Paducah, Kentucky. Just over the southern Illinois border, this UNESCO Creative City is home to the National Quilt Museum, a collection of amazing artistic works. Paducah also brims with…
Still jamming after all these years
At age 72, Hank Helton has spent the better part of his life playing and singing in bands. By the numbers…he has performed with 10-plus bands over the years. He owns nine guitars, including acoustic, electric, a hybrid acoustic/electric, a bass and a bouzouki (8-string Irish guitar). He says he also plays a modicum of…
It’s about the “we,” not just the “me”
I am that “old-time” doctor. I now say, “Do you remember when? I do.” I started medical school in 1992. Adding those years with residency and decades of clinical practice, I am at 32 years of experience and counting. I remember watching a young boy in the halls of the pediatric hospital carrying his bucket…
Anniversary of a comfortable home
Set back off the corner of Chatham Road and Lawrence Avenue on nearly 30 acres of grassy lawn and woods, Illinois Presbyterian Home provides “comfort in a community” for area seniors. The staff and volunteers are excitedly beginning preparations for the home’s 70th anniversary. But the historic property began its service life well before 1954…
Palmer’s 1911 advice to parents
Dr. George Palmer was well known for his commitment to medical science rather than popular “signs and omens and charms” of the day, and for his fresh air-and-sunshine approach to good health and vitality. The Sangamon County Historical Society published excerpts from Palmer’s 1911 speech to the Illinois Farmers Institute’s Department of Household Science, including…
