Editor’s Note

If talking sense about border security is what you want, send somebody from Springfield. Sen. Richard Durbin, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, was in El Paso last week to get a firsthand look at the situation on the southwest border. “President Trump’s border policies have failed.  His fixation with a wall and […]

 My goodness we’re in Code Red again and there’s another “cyclone bomb” headed our way, the second in three weeks. If we didn’t know such scary terms we’d think it’s just spring in Illinois, bringing unpredictable weather, warm one day and chilly the next, windy with a chance of rain. –Fletcher Farrar, editor and CEO

Congratulations on your re-election Mr. Mayor, now let’s get back to work. Jim Langfelder is right that his first term “laid a foundation for a better tomorrow,” and voters showed confidence in him. It’s good of him to say he’ll make east side economic development a top priority in his second term, but the plan […]

When Springfield voters go to the polls Tuesday on Election Day, they will find a robust ballot with dozens of candidates, many newcomers and more women than in past local elections. Several candidate forums have offered plenty of opportunity for voters to be informed, and Illinois Times has reported on campaigns for all the city […]

Normally conservative and responsible legislators get all excited when there’s talk of a capital bill. That’s because it’s a Christmas tree bought with borrowed money, so all restraint goes out the window. Now Gov. J.B. Pritzker is taking some heat for being slow and cautious about determining how much Illinois can responsibly borrow, and how […]

 Everybody knows, “If you see something, say something.” But not as many have learned, “If you read something, write something.” People are always telling us, “I almost wrote you a letter.” Well, it’s never too late. Writers and editors thrive on response, especially on thoughtful response like the one that appears on this page from […]

 “As goes journalism, so goes the community,” the Feb. 26 panel on the state of Springfield news media, is set for rebroadcast on NPR Illinois Monday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s worth a listen, with comments from representatives of Newschannel 20, NPR Illinois, Illinois Times (me) and the State Journal-Register. Most interesting was Jason […]

It’s good that racial disparity in Springfield has become an issue in the campaign for mayor. Rarely is the subject discussed so openly as it was during Monday’s mayoral candidate forum sponsored by Faith Coalition for the Common Good. But now that information is coming to the surface, Springfield must correct injustices. That may not […]

By now IT readers have noticed her byline, frequent in the past several issues. Lindsey Salvatelli is our editorial intern for this semester through the Public Affairs Reporting master’s degree program at University of Illinois Springfield. She brings with her a 2018 bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University and, as important, life experience […]

Tuesday night’s State of the Union address was a reminder of how normal Donald Trump can appear when he tries. His performance left no doubt that he is a skillful politician. His pitch to free the U.S. from “endless wars” has appeal; the economy and jobs growth are favorable. But his offensive against “investigations” is […]

When Mayor Jim Langfelder was quoted recently saying, “I don’t see color,” many readers saw him as tone deaf because that isn’t said anymore, as the mayor knows. “That drives people crazy when I say that,” Langfelder told the SJ-R. “I probably shouldn’t say that.” But maybe he, like many of us, doesn’t know why. […]

January is the month some central Illinois farmers are planting new ideas about what seeds to sow when, and how to care for the soil they depend on. On Jan. 23 they gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield for a “Conservation Cropping” seminar to share ideas about a better way to farm, one that […]