Editor's note 07-11-24

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The quiet wait-and-see response by Springfield officials to the June 19 downtown fire risks loss of the Adams Street vibe. The situation is reminiscent of early 2023 when a leaderless downtown stood by and let a wealthy corporation "beautify" Washington Street by demolishing a historic building to put up a parking lot. Leah Wilson, a member of the Adams Family and executive director of Kidzeum, raises an alternative vision in her guest opinion on page 11. Leaders see crisis as opportunity. She writes that it's time to make ambitious plans and have the audacity to see them through. – Fletcher Farrar, editor

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