From India to American citizenship, Ashwin Manivannan shares his deeply personal journey through the immigration and naturalization process. In this episode, he talks about what it meant to leave home, navigate the long road to citizenship, and face the challenges, uncertainties and sacrifices along the way. It’s a conversation about identity, perseverance, belonging and what […]
Newsletter – Event
Posted inTurning Points
Leroy G. McDaniels
Beloved husband, father, coach, mentor and community leader Leroy G. McDaniels, of Springfield, Illinois, passed away peacefully at his residence at 8:51 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2026. He was born Aug. 9, 1945 in Springfield. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lillie Mae (McDaniel) Daniels; father, Harry Flake; and brother, Jackie Daniels. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Hospital Sister Mission Outreach ships $1 million of supplies to Bolivia
Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach has shipped a container of medical supplies and equipment valued at $1 million to Bolivia. The 40-foot shipping container of requested supplies left the Mission Outreach warehouse, 4930 Laverna Road in Springfield, on May 5. This is the most expensive shipment since the medical supply and equipment recovery organization was founded […]
Posted inThe Mosaic Project
Brian Galecki interview
Brian Galecki is the co-owner of Dumb Records. This episode begins with some rapid-fire hot takes, explores how Dumb Records began, and discuss why community matters more than ever.
Posted inArts & Culture
An immaculate conception
Jesus Christ Superstar is the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber Biblical rock-musical that narrates the last seven days of Jesus’s life in a flashy, pop-filled 90-minute package. There is no intermission, so audiences make it back home for their bedtime prayers, hallelujah! A talent-studded odyssey of love, power and protest, Springfield Theatre Centre’s gender-bending production, co-directed […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Levitt AMP announces 2026 season
The Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series will return to downtown Springfield for a seventh season on Thursday nights starting May 28 through July 30. Presented by PNC, the 10-week live concert series will feature a diverse lineup of performers from across the world. Entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m. every Thursday in the vacant block north […]
Posted inMusic
ISO gets its kicks in a roadworthy finale
With renovations of Sangamon Auditorium on the University of Illinois Springfield campus nearing completion, the May 1 finale of this season is likely to be the last time the Illinois Symphony Orchestra will perform at First United Methodist Church, which has served as home away from home for the orchestra since October 2025. The culmination […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Kena Bere interview
Kena Bere is a young attorney working in downtown Springfield who is dedicating her career to building a more just and equitable legal system. She serves as a SAFE-T Act lawyer for the Illinois Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. A 2020 University of Illinois Springfield graduate, Kena focuses on criminal justice and system […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Dana-Thomas House Foundation to demolish adjacent property
When Susan Lawrence and family moved to the neighborhood, it looked a lot different than it does now. The three houses across the street from the Dana-Thomas House (302, 306 and 308 E. Lawrence) were originally built as two-story homes. They were destroyed in the fire of 1916, and the current houses were built around […]
Posted inTurning Points
Rodger Dale Paoni Jr.
Rodger Dale Paoni Jr., 52, of Springfield, passed away on Friday, April 10, 2026. Rodger, known to many throughout his life simply as “Junior,” was born on Sept. 18, 1973, to Lynell Ayers and Rodger Paoni Sr., in Springfield, Illinois. Rodger married Kristy and she survives. Also surviving are his stepson, Jayson; daughters, Kendra, Cerria, […]
Posted inThe Mosaic Project
OJ Crowder interview
For three decades, OJ Crowder has been a familiar and friendly face in downtown Springfield. As a dedicated letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, he’s spent the last 30 years getting to know our city and its people. Now, his story is being shared in a new podcast episode that highlights his experiences, the changes he’s witnessed over the years and the relationships he’s built along his route.
Posted inArts & Culture
Nerds’ night out
The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee or Putnam, as it’s lovingly referred to by theater connoisseurs on a time crunch, is a sweetly funny but sincere musical about a small-town spelling bee and the cast of fiercely competitive children (all played by adults) who are vying for first place. It is essentially a comedic A […]
