Letters to the Editor

BRINGING BACK MACARTHUR BOULEVARDThis is my neighborhood where I’ve lived most of my life from birth to age 70. In a perfect world, this intersection would be a public gathering space, a square, surrounded by markets and other small businesses. Right now, it’s only a connected expanse of roads and asphalt parking lots.    As a […]

AMP UP THE DOWNTOWN CONCERTS I’ve been a resident of downtown Springfield for the last six years, and I appreciate and support all of the initiatives. I want to see the arts and the economy of downtown Springfield flourish as much as anyone. I’ve enjoyed the Levitt AMP series to some extent, but if Downtown […]

LOVE IT OR LEAVE ITWhen President Trump said, “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came,” he was not referring to migrants on the southern border.  He was referring to four duly and fairly elected senators of the United States.  Three of these senators […]

BUY LOCAL WORKS BOTH WAYS I went to a locally owned music store hoping to purchase. I walked in and down one side then across the entire back wall to find the instruments I was looking for. Three people around the counter ignored me the whole time. I fumbled with out-of-tune instruments. No one offered […]

USE FOOD WEEKS TO PROMOTE TOURISMMy friends know I’m compulsively loyal. Maybe it was that trait that compelled me to take on 217 Pony Shoe Week like a champ. Yes, I ran the distance, going to all 14 participants on Illinois Times’ official passport. I enjoyed everyone’s presentation, ranging from creative to more traditional. At […]

APPRECIATES ARTS COVERAGE Thank you so much for publishing the wonderful and insightful theater review of The Muni’s Evita in your latest issue (“Sex, lies and political power, June 27). It has long been my belief that we have a rich and thriving arts community in Springfield and surrounding areas.  I have been doing theater […]

CRISIS AT THE BORDEREvery day we learn more about the appalling conditions facing children, women and men in detention centers along our southern border. The situation is unconscionable. If your readers are like me, they may feel overwhelmed and paralyzed by the images of children and adults housed in overcrowded, filthy conditions that fail to […]

CAPITAL BILL A WIN FOR TRUCKERS A whirlwind end to a historic legislative session has resulted in two important pieces of good news for Illinois trucking companies: a new capital bill to fix our infrastructure and the end of a misguided truck fee that only added to the work we have to do to address […]

BASEBALL STORIES A GOOD READI have enjoyed the recent stories on baseball by Stuart Shiffman.  Regarding his story on Harry Caray (“Baseball’s salesman,” May 30), I heard many a broadcast by Harry, first with the Cardinals and later the Cubs.  While I’m also a White Sox fan, I didn’t hear him broadcast Sox games since, […]

PROUD OF PRIDEFESTI remember the very early days of PrideFest in Springfield (“PrideFest draws thousands,” May 23). The LGBTQ community in Springfield is brave, determined and has been a role model to LGBTQ communities throughout the state. Springfield, Bloomington, Decatur and Peoria are proud! Rick GarciaVia illinoistimes.comPROFITS BEFORE PEOPLEIn your recent article on cuts at […]

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK Erika Holst’s “Discovering the east side” was the very best article I have read (May 16); superb in content, writing and era covered.  I had the pleasure of meeting Holst last year after she and P.J. Staab did the remembrance article on my husband, Thomas R. Jones, Sr., and then […]