News across Sangamon County
Building for Wildlife
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is launching “Building for Wildlife,” a new workshop series at the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, offering youth hands-on opportunities to build structures that support native Illinois wildlife. “Building for Wildlife brings…
The Turnaway Play looks at a groundbreaking study
What happens when someone seeks an abortion and is turned away, compared to someone who has access? The Turnaway Play addresses this question through the experiences of women who participated in the Turnaway Study, an investigation that recruited roughly 1,000 women across 30…
No degree? High-income career changes to make right now
Starting a new career without a college degree isn’t only possible, it’s becoming increasingly common. The job market is changing rapidly, and employers across various industries are prioritizing practical skills, certifications and real-world experience over traditional…
Super Cows
In the 1980s a Super Cow was bought for a million dollars. Her superness was the amount of milk she produced each year. Now there is word of a second Super Cow, which was bought for four million dollars. It looks like my family was in the right business at the wrong time or just…
Sweet starch science
In 2022, I worked in the research and development lab at Audrey Restaurant in Nashville. Our owner-chef, Sean Brock, and his culinary team were deeply committed to supporting local farmers. When one of our farmers asked if we could find a use for 900 pounds of sweet potatoes he…
North end memories
The neighborhood on Springfield’s northeast side, just north of the one where African Americans lived before it was destroyed in the infamous Race Riot of 1908, was at its peak during the 1950s and early 1960s. It consisted mostly of Italian-Americans who owned businesses there,…
Record diesel prices continue uptrend, surpass $6
The price of diesel fuel has yet to find a ceiling as the national average price surpassed the $6-per-gallon mark Sept. 15, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While drilling capacity is adequate, refining and distributing systems remain off course due to…
Holy indifference
Moses presented the Ten Commandments around 1300 BCE. These were not the first list of guidelines in ancient history, nor were they the only list. About 400 years earlier Hammurabi, the king of Babylon, bound himself and the people he ruled to 272 statutes, bringing a new order…
Data Center Revolt bus tour stops in Lincoln
Data centers have become a hot-button issue for virtually every politician in the country as proposals for the hyperscale server warehouses continue to spark arguments amongst community members. President Donald Trump has repeatedly backed the idea of developing data centers,…
Letters to the editor 9/24/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. POOR CONDITIONS The open letter in the Sept. 3 Illinois Times concerning conditions at the Lincoln Tomb followed just two weeks after…
Healthy trees enrich communities
Fall is an excellent time to assess and care for existing trees in your yard and plant new trees. Too often homeowners don’t pay enough attention to the structure and health of their trees and only discover problems after a storm when trees or limbs fall to the ground (or on the…
Fall maintenance for your yard and garden
Whether planting a vegetable garden, flower garden or pollinator garden, “site preparation is paramount,” says master gardener Susan Helm. “I can’t stress enough how important this is.” There are thriving pollinator gardens all over Springfield, thanks to Helm and a cadre of…