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Laws threaten women’s reproductive health
As Americans, we strive for safety – the safest medicines, cars and toys. But when it comes to women’s reproductive health, state legislatures have passed about 250 laws since 2011 that put women’s health at risk. And they do it under the guise of “women’s safety.

The light that turns people on
For years, people measured the deficiencies of life in Springfield in terms of lifestyle emporia or ethnic eateries. The city’s gloominess was thought to be cultural, not meteorological. But according to NASA data, Sangamon County ranked 2,073 for sunniness out of the nation’s 3,111 counties over the 32 years ending in 2011.

The venality of the 2016 presidential election
It’s the Money Primary, controlled not by voters, but by super-wealthy donors. In this exclusive election, Jeb is way out front of the GOP pack with a record haul of $100 million, while Hillary has bagged $45 million to lead among the Dems. But wait...

LETTERS
ELECTRONICS GLITCH I was one of hundreds of Springfield residents who tried but was unable to recycle my electronics at the fairgrounds on Saturday morning. I arrived at 10:30 and waited in line outside Gate 11 until 12:15 when a Good Samaritan drove past and announced they’d stopped accepting donations.

Rauner doubles down on Madigan
The mailer I obtained from one of my former interns features an ominous photo of Speaker Madigan above and behind a picture of a smiling Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg), who won her race by three percentage points last year, despite optimism by Republicans that they had her on the run.

SCHOOL MAKEOVER
What do you get when you mix 1,000 volunteers, thousands of dollars in donations and a 100-year-old school? You get a school makeover that gives kids another reason to be proud of their school. Springfi eld Sharefest starts on July 25, bringing volunteers from around the city together to renovate Feitshans Elementary School in just four days.

Education funding bill fails in Senate
With no budget in place weeks after the start of the new fiscal year, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled legislature continue to battle on two fronts. Democrats want Rauner to approve an out-of-balance spending plan, and Rauner wants to tie the budget process to passage of his non-budget sweeping “Turnaround Agenda.

ILLINOIS ISSUES DROPS PRINT
In light of a dire state budget outlook, Illinois Issues announced on Wednesday it will drop its print magazine and go digital only. The monthly magazine, begun in 1975, is in its 40 th year of publication. Illinois Issues, which merged with WUIS radio earlier this year, offers in-depth coverage of state government and related topics.

Keeping public contracts secret
Lawyers for Ameresco had argued that requests under the state Freedom of Information Act for contracts should be barred, even though the contracts had been discussed and approved by school boards during public meetings.

Dog bites man, who sues
According to a bite report taken by Sangamon County animal control after Sanders’ physician alerted the county, Sanders suffered “moderate, multiple punctures” that ranked three on a scale of one to six, with one being a minor scratch and six being fatal wounds.

Rauner pension plan guts collective bargaining
In a July 15 legislative hearing, two of Rauner’s advisors told lawmakers in the House that the plan is based on the “consideration model,” a legal theory in which state employees are offered a choice as a way to get around the Illinois constitutional provision banning benefit cuts.

Extinct
There’s more to the Illinois State Museum than meets the average citizen’s eye. The exhibits on display at the museum’s main location at Spring and Edwards streets represent a tiny fraction of the riches maintained by the ISM.

Here’s what’s new about new potatoes
Have you ever eaten new potatoes – potatoes with skins so thin they scrub off easily with a vegetable brush, with flesh so lusciously creamy it’s almost decadent? You might be surprised to learn that potatoes labeled “new” in the supermarket usually aren’t.

CuisineScene
Open 7am-2pm. 7 Days a week. B & L. $ Krekel’s Custard & Hamburgers.

Fun, imagination propel Ant-Man
While aficionados of Marvel Comics will recognize the names in the cast of characters, they’ll have to change their perspective of them as things have been altered a bit for the big screen. Having devised what he calls the “Pym Particle,” Dr.

Music makes a mark
Friday night holds a collection of seasoned and experienced musicians all playing at once in different places. These guys are the real deal, five- and six-decade dedicated players of music, born when TV was a novelty, cellphones were sciencefiction nonsense and music was played on instruments not requiring electricity.

PUB CRAWL
Jackson Taylor & the Sinner, Billie Gant & Nick Giese.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Way Down Wanderers
Originally from Peoria and now based out of Chicago, this active and alternative folk quintet is on the move.

THE CALENDAR
Books & Authors Dr. Seuss “What Pet Should I Get?” Storytime.

NATURE | Catching creepy crawlies
Did you know that central Illinois is home to nearly 300 different kinds of insects? Some of them you’ve undoubtedly seen, like the glamorous firefly or the annoying mosquito. But some of them – like the scarab beetle – usually manage to stay out of sight unless you know where to find them.

SPORTS | Learning from the greats
Calling all future baseball stars: If you want to learn the fundamentals of the game from some of the best teachers out there, check out the Free Youth Baseball Clinic on July 25. The clinic will teach kids ages 6-16 how to throw, catch, hit and more, while stressing the importance of education and positive decisions.

MUSIC | Transported to another era
What better way to wrap up a fun-filled weekend than watching the sun set while listening to a local band play the classics? The Springfield Municipal Band’s Sunset Concert offers exactly that on July 26 – a perfect chance to relax outside in a beautiful park and enjoy a bit of history and nostalgia.