BE KIND
Congratulations on your longevity and success (“50th anniversary special section,” Sept. 25). While Fletcher Farrar and I have political views that couldn’t be farther apart, I must say I appreciate so much his professionalism. When I see Fletcher in public, he is friendly and cordial. As we wade through trying times in political discourse, I am pleased to know that it’s possible to care enough to be kind.
Rosanna Pulido
Springfield
CONGRATS
I’ve lived in large urban areas basically my entire adult life until moving to Springfield two years ago, and the various cities I lived in all had their own independent weeklies. It never occurred to me until after reading your former staff members’ accounts of IT’s early days just how rare it is for a city the size of Springfield to have a similar newspaper. I have to admit I’ve been taking IT for granted these past two years. Congrats on such a long, successful run. I look forward to reading it every week, and thank you!
Christine Grisham
Springfield
FOLLOW THE SCIENCE
The Sangamon Community Medical Society is aware of recent public statements suggesting a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. Some observational studies have reported associations; however, these studies cannot determine cause and effect and their findings have been mixed. Major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have reviewed this research and continue to affirm that acetaminophen can be used safely during pregnancy.
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with contributions from genetics, biology and environmental factors that are still being studied. Attributing causation to any single medication oversimplifies the science and may create unnecessary fear. Ongoing research is important, and we will continue to follow it closely.
At the same time, we want to be clear that autism does not diminish a person’s worth. Our community is stronger when autistic individuals and their families are welcomed and supported. People with autism are valued members of our community, and they deserve respectful language, equitable care and access to needed services.
Pregnant individuals should not start or stop any medication without consulting their clinician. In addition to medication guidance, many well-established steps help support a healthy pregnancy and baby: Avoid tobacco, vaping and alcohol; stay up to date on recommended immunizations; seek prompt evaluation and treatment for infections; maintain good blood pressure and blood sugar control; and keep regular prenatal/obstetric appointments.
SCMS remains committed to evidence-based medicine and the health and well-being of our community. If you have questions about pain, fever or medication use in pregnancy, please speak with your obstetric or primary care provider.
Dr. Shreepada Tripathy
president, Sangamon County Medical Society
This article appears in October 16-22, 2025.
Nuclear power is a necessary part of a multi-mode strategy for reliable, climate-positive energy, including recycling, renewables, and conservation. Nuclear has to be part of that mix, because power requirements are only going up in the future, and we have to start building plants today to meet that demand. We need clean, reliable, long-term, all-season, high-output baseload power production, and the new, small modular reactor designs are safer than ever: they’re designed so their reactions stop naturally and go dormant if cooling is interrupted, and they’re standardized to reduce complexity and cost. It’s altogether a different technology than the old power plants Mr. Kraft rails against. Spent fuel is a policy issue, not a technical one, and there are several good, practical options for it, but fossil fuel lobbyists and scare-mongers have used disingenuous arguments to block progress for decades. For the state’s economy and a better climate, it’s time to support small reactors to replace our old fleet and help kill off coal and gas this decade.