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Summerguide 2026
Our annual Summerguide has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for local theater, musical performances, outdoor activities or family-friendly events – many of them free of charge – we’ve got all the details. Plus, there’s an expanded three-month calendar of activities…
LATEST NEWS
Sangamon County wrestles with land use issues
A proposal to amend the Sangamon County’s data center ordinance remained tabled following the county’s May 21 Zoning and Land…
Logan County enacts 12-month data center moratorium
Logan County officials approved a one-year moratorium on data center projects with a 6-4 vote May 19. That vote occurred…
Growing financial strain
As prices for gas and necessities keep climbing, the Illinois General Assembly is considering closing corporate tax loopholes and taxing…
Local cannabis businesses receive state funding
Four Sangamon and Logan County marijuana businesses received a total of nearly $2 million in direct forgivable loans last month…
Wyndham owner settles lawsuits with insurance company
Legal proceedings between the owner of the vacant Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel and the hotel’s insurance company may be nearing…
“Electrons instead of ethanol”
A proposed 1,730-acre solar development south of New Berlin is drawing growing opposition from residents, local officials and business owners…
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News
Together Women Rise: A beacon of hope
Together Women Rise is “a beacon of hope,” says CEO Beverley Francis-Gibson. This national nonprofit, formerly called Dining for Women,…
Federal drug discount expansion proposal may cost Illinois millions, agency head says
A proposal that would expand access to a federal program that discounts the price of prescription drugs could end up…
An AI anniversary logo
Sangamon County officials revealed an artificial intelligence-driven logo concept to commemorate America’s 250 years of independence and 100 years of…
Wyndham plywood gets a paint job
More than six months after the Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel had its first-floor windows boarded, city workers began painting…
opinion
List of proposed budget cuts circulates
In response to a question last week from my associate Isabel Miller, Gov. JB Pritzker said he didn’t think a group of progressive legislators…
Letters to the editor
FOLLOWING PROCEDURE I work in state procurement and this is just how it is, unfortunately (ABC loses State Fair contract,” May 7). It’s whatever…
Legislation stalled as May 31 adjournment nears
Every year when the legislature arrives at mid-May, it’s always tempting to look around, see the absence of real bicameral movement on legislation and…
Letters to the editor 5/14/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. GREAT MAIL CARRIER I…
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Food and drink
Five simple salad dressings
We finally enjoyed our first homegrown salad this week. Normally we’d have been feasting on greens much sooner, but an…
Celebrating women with “kids”
This week’s column is dedicated to a deeply caring connection: women and their “kids” (a pun very much intended). The…
Pavlova is a beautiful, tasty dessert
Pavlova is a lofty, show-stopping dessert that’s at once beautiful, easy and economical. Essentially a giant baked meringue with a…
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Music
Memorable Memorial Day weekend music
Mayday, mayday! Look out, folks, it’s already Memorial Day weekend with summer time fun just around the…
May music blooms
Hello and welcome to another edition of Now Playing, your weekly Illinois Times excursion into the music…
May music plays
As our month of May heats up (barely) we’re digging into those outdoor gigs (as weather permits)…
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ARTS AND CULTURE
More than tea: A culture of whimsy
There’s something quite transformative happening inside Whimsy Tea Company; and it has very little to do with the inventory on the shelves. It’s a warmth…
Grogu is lazy and redundant, Ryan accomplishes its mission as thriller
Grogu stultifyingly dull I remember as a child, while playing with either my army men or action figures, the scenarios I would make up for…
Organizers plan antiracism workshop
Advancing the calls to action: From community insight to accountability and implementation | Sat., May 30, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | BOS Center This workshop is…
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Best Of Springfield 2025
See the results Every year, we ask our opinionated readers to tell us about their favorite people, places and things in the Springfield area. Over the decades we’ve been doing this, we’ve continued to tweak both the process and the results issue to try to keep things fresh and interesting. While anything food-related typically dominates…
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