U.S. District Court Judge Colin Bruce. Citing emails between U.S. District Court Judge Colin Bruce and employees of the U.S. attorney’s office, federal public defenders say the judge is so biased that defendants can’t get fair shakes. “Both Judge Bruce and the United States attorney’s office act as if Judge Bruce is still the first […]
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Faith Coalition registers hundreds to vote
Election Day is Nov. 6, a time when American citizens can exercise their right to vote. Unfortunately, many choose not to vote, for a variety of reasons. Some think their vote doesn’t matter. Springfield-based Faith Coalition for the Common Good is working to change that. By promoting voter registration and the importance of voting, the […]
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She fought the law and the law won
One of the most bitter child custody battles in state history ended Tuesday as Jennifer Watkins agreed to give up custody of her daughter Sidney to the girl’s paternal aunt. Watkins wept as she signed the paperwork in the courtroom of Cass County Circuit Court Judge Robert Hardwick, Jr. Just one reporter was present to […]
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She fought the law and the law won
Accompanied by her mother Debbie Webster, left, Jennifer Watkins leaves the courtroom after giving up a custody fight for her daughter Sidney. One of the most bitter child custody battles in state history ended Tuesday as Jennifer Watkins agreed to give up custody of her daughter Sidney to the girl’s paternal aunt. Watkins wept as […]
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Edwards family’s trash becomes treasure
If the backhoe had dug just one foot to the east, it might have missed the feature altogether. As it was, archaeologist Floyd Mansberger and the crew of Fever River Research got lucky the day they put an exploratory trench into the yard behind historic Edwards Place: they caught the edge of an 1850s, brick-lined […]
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The secret life of secrets
“It’s beautiful to see the transformative power of secrets,” said Frank Warren, who will host the multimedia “PostSecret Live” presentation at the University of Illinois Springfield Student Union on Oct. 17. PostSecret is the brand name encompassing an oddball media empire overseen by Warren, consisting of anonymous personal secrets shared by strangers from all over […]
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Antidotes to a toxic political culture
This summer, State Representative Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, State Senator Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, and Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza – working together as the Anti-harassment, Equality and Access Panel (AHEA, a nonprofit 501(c) (4) organization) – traveled across the state on a listening tour, engaging female political candidates, campaign staffers and officeholders in conversation about their experiences […]
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Peace of paper
Betsy Dollar, whose current exhibition “New Paper Works” is ongoing at the Chatham Area Public Library, explained that papermaking was not always an end in itself for her. “It started out as a technique to generate something to print or paint on, to make into a book or fold into a sculpture,” she said. Eventually, […]
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Legacy’s Violet promises a transcendent musical road trip
“Left my troubles back there when I climbed on board…”- from Violet Following a cross-country Greyhound ride undertaken by a young woman in search of healing, Violet is the Legacy Theatre’s most recent production, a musical set in 1964 which promises to skirt the trappings of flashier shows to deliver an emotional punch via strong […]
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Not just for business majors anymore
Associate professor Nathan Steele, Ph.D., a popular and respected instructor and researcher in the University of Illinois Springfield’s college of business and management for over a decade, is excited about his recent appointment as director of the university’s Master of Business Administration program. He especially wants to clear up what he sees as some misconceptions […]
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In a box
A hat that purportedly by not provably belonged to Abraham Lincoln is off the display list at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum pending review of the artifact’s provenance that has been in question for years. The announcement by the museum that the hat, which is not on regular exhibition, won’t be taken out […]
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Alleged prison rape prompt lawsuits
Officials at Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln have ignored sexual misconduct involving guards and other employees, according to three lawsuits filed since last November. Two of the lawsuits, including one filed this week, are buttressed by criminal charges filed against accused employees. Furthermore, in an apparently unrelated case, Jeffrey Dozier, a prison employee assigned to […]
