John Freml never anticipated squaring off with the Springfield public school district over pajamas. Among the details to work out for the coming school year, District 186 updated its student handbook. Per the guidelines, students can’t wear pajamas during the school day, even when school is happening at home. “My first instinct was just how […]
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No fair
In a normal year, the Twilight Parade would be kicking off the Illinois State fair tonight, but 2020 has already been anything but normal. COVID-19 cancelled the Fair for the first time since World War II, affecting everything from agriculture to nonprofits who rely on revenue from working the gates and Grandstand. In this issue, […]
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The road to riches
Dr. Lawrence Hatchett says he feels like he’s stuck in a desert. He grew up in Colp, a southern Illinois village once known as a safe place for African Americans amid sundown towns where folks who weren’t white couldn’t venture after dark. Basketball was his ticket out. Good enough to land a scholarship at Marquette […]
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Restaurants navigate a pandemic
The line outside The Feed Store on its last day stretched around the block. The Springfield mainstay has been around for 43 years. Its green sign faces the Old State Capitol plaza. It was a perfect place to pick up a sandwich, salad or some soup while downtown and eat outside or in the restaurant’s […]
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The Colored Section
It’s about as far as you can get from the main entrance to the sprawling Oak Ridge Cemetery, one of the nation’s most visited burial grounds. Go past the soaring monument to the Great Emancipator, meander a bit toward the north, pass the Wishing Well and maintenance shed, and take the steep, one-lane pavement that […]
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Making history
As demonstrators continue to plea for justice for people like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Juneteenth was marked differently this year. Many say its unofficial status is proof that, collectively, we need to do a better job of acknowledging our roots. The Juneteenth holiday comes from an announcement of emancipation made in Texas on June […]
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Going Above and Beyond
The people, places and things we relied on to get us through while we stayed home. We’ve all had to adapt to a new way of life, mostly on short notice. Whether it is a business owner trying to figure out how to continue to provide goods and services or a teacher engaging with students […]
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Springfield comes together
To track the success of a Facebook group created to help families in need during the pandemic, its creator suggests you check out the “thank you” section. There you will find an outpouring of gratitude from those who have received an array of items and support. Baby food and formula, cleaning products, furniture and clothing […]
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Closure
David Metcalf grew up in and around MacMurray College. His father was a long-serving faculty member at the east- side Jacksonville institution, and his great-great-grandfather was one of the college’s most successful presidents. When it came time to pick a college to attend, Metcalf naturally chose MacMurray. But there won’t be any more Metcalfs attending […]
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Suicide in solitary
Tiffany Rusher spent four months in a cell the size of a small bathroom. Then, she killed herself. The list of Rusher’s diagnoses over the years was long. Depression. Antisocial personality disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Bipolar disorder. Schizoaffective disorder. Borderline personality disorder. With a history of self harm dating as far back as 2014, Rusher […]
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Learning remote learning
In mid-March, when Buffy Lael-Wolf realized in-person school was indefinitely postponed, she sprang into action. She knew her 10-year-old daughter, Nea, thrived on routine, and she wasn’t going to skip a beat. She felt her professional background had prepared her. “If I wasn’t going to be a nurse, I was going to be a teacher. […]
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Paycheck Protection gives businesses a chance
Masked employees serve a steady stream of pick-up and carry-out customers now at Cafe Moxo in downtown Springfield, both old and new customers who come to the popular establishment to get their daily caffeine fix or take away a bite to eat. What many patrons may not realize is that the coffee and lunch spot […]
