COVER STORY
Rolling out the welcome mat
Abraham Lincoln may always be Springfield’s top tourist attraction, but the capital city is expected to draw thousands of visitors this weekend for the kickoff of an internationally popular road rally. For the first time in its long history, the annual…
LATEST NEWS
Crowd reacts to Christian County data center plan
Facing strong opposition to a proposed $6 billion data center near Taylorville, a founder of Eagle Rock Partners told the…
EMT charged with murder sentenced
A former emergency medical technician accused in potentially the nation’s first murder case against a first responder received the lightest…
Lawmakers, stakeholders are ready for summer of data center negotiations
Lawmakers have a busy summer of negotiations ahead of them with pressure from both the governor’s office and their constituents…
Federal cuts are hitting Illinois food assistance recipients — and the farmers who feed them
President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” severely impacted two of Illinois’ most economically vulnerable groups: the hundreds of thousands…
New home nightmare
In a room just off the kitchen area in the Chatham home of Jaigovinda and Phalita Sharma, a wicker sofa…
New owners for Jubilee Farm
NextGen Communities, the new owners of Jubilee Farm Ecology & Spirituality Center west of Springfield, has pledged to continue to…
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News
Muni president addresses controversy
It may not have been the full-throated apology critics wanted, but a top official from Springfield Municipal Opera says mistakes…
Show me the job losses
Across the nation, economists have expressed concerns about the reliability of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not because of political…
Restorative justice in Sangamon County
The seventh floor of the Sangamon County Complex is busy on Wednesday afternoons. Mental Health Court participants wait in the…
Denial for Springfield solar project
The Sangamon County Board voted 15-8 to reject a proposed 20-acre solar farm adjacent to a residential subdivision on the…
opinion
The future of our national parks
If recent news coverage has left you concerned about the future of our national parks, historic sites, and public lands you’re not alone. Regardless…
Letters to the editor 6/18/26
CONGRATS TO FLETCHER I was surprised to read of Fletcher “Bud” Farrar’s move from the role of editor, but pleased to know he’s still…
Pritzker offers some lobbying advice to Chicago Bears
Gov. JB Pritzker last week squarely placed the responsibility for passing a Chicago Bears stadium bill on the team itself and had some unsolicited…
Letters to the editor 6/11
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. VOTERS DIDN’T WANT IT…
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Food and drink
Chilled soups
When the temperatures soar and even the weeds are wilting, chilled soups manage to exude effortless elegance despite their dead-simple…
A Juneteenth convergence of cultures
Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when enslaved Texans finally learned of their freedom – two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.…
Canned goods for the summer
The height of the summer produce season may seem like an odd time to lean on canned and jarred ingredients,…
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Music
Joys of June music
Bring on the sunscreen and insect repellant, stay hydrated and say when, here comes some live music…
Music is jumpin’ in June
Tree frogs croakin’, fireflies flittin’ and June bugs jivin’ are all sure signs that the natural world…
In tune with June
Let’s take a walk (don’t run) through our upcoming entertainment adventures for this week in the capital…
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Stephanie Mamaga Avi and Josephine Kamwela interview
Leaving home to study in a new country is about more than academics. It is about navigating loneliness, building community, and finding your place between…
Goodwill to host Youth Summit
Area youth, families, community members and service organizations are invited to attend the Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries 5th Annual Youth Summit on Thursday, June…
Footloose meets Jailhouse Rock
When talking with All Shook Up director Kelly Robertson, she cleverly offers, “If you bring the wine and crackers, we’ll bring the cheese.” The show,…
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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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