A bipartisan effort by state lawmakers recently passed legislation expanding existing River Edge Redevelopment Zone (RERZ) tax credits that were previously set to expire. The measure simultaneously created the Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit, granting state income tax credits to encourage preservation of historic buildings statewide. If Gov. Bruce Rauner signs it into law, the […]
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Vachel comes alive!
In his 1920 novel, The Golden Book of Springfield, Vachel Lindsay conjured up mystical, utopian images of what his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, might look like in the “golden year” of 2018. Now that time has caught up with Lindsay’s visionary book, the city and its artists have been paying tribute to Lindsay’s vision, none […]
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Party like it’s (Vachel Lindsay’s version of) 2018
In his wildly ambitious 1920 novel, The Golden Book of Springfield, author and visual artist Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931) portrays himself time-traveling a century forward to a 2018 rendition of his hometown, where he encounters “a group of…Springfield painters, sculptors, and architects who are always dynamiting our stagnant exhibitions with appropriate bombs of paint.” Fittingly, beginning […]
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Storage wars
Story has been updated to include excerpts from an email sent to ALPLM by a former state official. Anyone who suspects that faith in government institutions might be lacking need look no further than a behind-the-scenes kerfuffle involving the city of Springfield and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The stars of the show […]
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Trying to bypass federal tax restrictions
Bipartisan legislation under consideration in the General Assembly would bypass the federal cap of $10,000 in state and local taxes that could be deducted on income tax returns. Created as the Illinois Education Excellence Fund, the bill would offer a 90 percent credit for taxpayers who contribute towards a local government, county or school district’s […]
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No pills for you!
Forty years after the fact, just looking at Jimmy Garland hurts. Garland was riding his Yamaha motorcycle on Stanford Avenue in 1978 when he was struck by a Buick, suffering severe injuries to his left arm. The prognosis was poor, and four years after the wreck, surgeons amputated Garland’s arm above his elbow to help […]
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Tiny insects, big annoyance
Buffalo gnats are back. This time of year in central Illinois, many people are experiencing large red welts around their face and neck as a result of bites from these insects. Commonly called buffalo gnats, these annoying insects are part of the Simuliidae family of black flies. To find out more, we contacted Dr. Chris […]
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The fight to reform child care
Protesters gathered outside the Capitol May 16 to press for legislation to reform home care and child care services across Illinois. Organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Illinois and Indiana, home care workers, child care providers, seniors and lawmakers took part in the rally. A joint bill introduced in the House and […]
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Sports betting bills bolstered by Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling allowing state-authorized sports gambling may strengthen legislation to legalize sports betting in Illinois. On May 14, the court ruled 6-3 that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1992 to prohibit statewide sports gambling, violated states’ rights. The decision coincides with three current measures introduced in […]
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Big money
The nonprofit foundation that says it might have to sell artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln has taken in more than $40 million since 2007, when the group borrowed $23 million to purchase relics held, but not owned, by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation says that it still […]
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Digging the state out of the hole it’s in
On Thursday, May 10, at the Rendezvous Room in the Wyndham Springfield City Centre, NPR Illinois and Illinois Issues presented the first in their most recent series of traveling forums happening across the state, sponsored by AARP Illinois. The forums are collectively entitled “Election 2018: Seeking Solutions” and the Springfield event was moderated by NPR […]
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Brother, can you spare an Abe?
How desperate is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, which owes nearly $10 million for Lincoln artifacts? Check out the foundation’s GoFundMe.com campaign, set up after quiet efforts to secure a state bailout failed. “Save Lincoln Artifacts! Donate NOW!” In just one day, the foundation has raised $1,125 toward its $9.7 million goal, according to […]
