News across Greater Springfield, IL
Local organizations receive AEDs through HSHS St. John’s Foundation
Ten local organizations now have access to a lifesaving tool that can help respond to sudden cardiac arrest, thanks to the Community AED Program. HSHS Prairie Cardiovascular and the HSHS St. John’s Foundation presented automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to representatives…
Building a community where systems work together
Effectively addressing homelessness requires our community to do more than solve individual crises. We have to build deeply connected systems of care with the whole person in mind. In many communities, physical health, mental health, behavioral health and homeless services…
The Stunt Driver has heart, Charlie Harper almost bearable
The quest for validation propels Driver Ken Polsjek lived his life with a well-earned chip on his shoulder. Abandoned by his father, brought up in poverty and likely struggling with an undiagnosed learning disability, the cross-eyed young man was bullied and ostracized, desperate…
Mental Health Board picks executive director
The Sangamon County Mental Health Board chose a Springfield native and nonprofit leader to fill the executive director position at its September monthly meeting, as criticism of the board’s proceedings persist. Dr. Tatyana Gardner grew up on the city’s east side and currently…
Local surgeon inspires new law
A Chatham native decided to be the change he wanted to see in the world when he reached out to his state representatives in an attempt to better healthcare in Illinois. One year later, Dr. Brandt Whitehurst’s conversation with state Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, has brought…
County Board defends data center approval in court
The Sangamon County Board defended its April zoning approval of the county’s first hyperscale data center in court on Sept. 11, as Circuit Judge Adam Giganti set the stage for an Oct. 9 hearing about a motion to dismiss. Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or…
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…
An autumn glow-up for your home
With the autumn season here and winter not far behind, many of us are busily preparing our homes for time indoors due to dark evenings and cooler weather. While we may feel the urge to go all-in on a renovation, budgets and time constraints are realistic impediments to going…
Fall Home & Garden Calendar 2026
Illinois Product Farmers Fall Market Sat., Oct. 10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Features Illinois meats, produce, baked goods and wine. Includes children’s events and live music. illinoisproductsfarmersmarket.com. State Fairgrounds, The Shed, 801 Sangamon Ave., 217-524-9129. Old Capitol…
Glorious gratins
A gratin, according to the late chef Julia Child, is simply a preparation in which the top of a sauced dish is browned, usually under a hot broiler. In the first volume of her iconic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, she describes a gratin as having “a sprinkling of…