BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Concordia Village
4101 W. Iles Ave., 793-9429
When you reach a certain age, keeping a house in order requires more effort than it’s worth. But what if you don’t need to be in a nursing home? That’s where retirement communities come in. Concordia Village, which is managed by Lutheran Senior Services, is the kind of place you go if you want to be in a quiet, comfortable environment with other people who are just reaching the prime of their lives. The private condos offer independence, but with assistance like housekeeping, meal service and even skilled nursing if you need it. Reviewers especially praise the helpful staff and the food. If we didn’t already know it’s a retirement community, we might think it’s a vacation resort. Runners-up: Montvale Estates, Lewis Memorial Christian Village
BEST THING THAT’S CHANGED SPRINGFIELD IN THE PAST YEAR
Hy-Vee 2115 S. MacArthur Blvd., 726-1001
It doesn’t take much to make Springfieldians happy. The voters have spoken: the opening of Hy-Vee was the best thing that’s changed the city in the past year, although it actually happened more than a year ago. Hy-Vee opened on May 13, 2014, and the building was packed to the gills with people that day. We have to admit that we’ve spent many a hungry evening staring lustfully at the Hy-Vee cheese section since then; we might have a problem. Come to think of it, we also often find ourselves drooling in front of Hy-Vee’s bread section, their beer section and their desserts. (We may have polished off an entire box of their chocolate chip cookies in one sitting … several times.) The point is that we’re better off having Hy-Vee in town, even if it tests our self-control. Runners-up: The governor living and spending time in Springfield, Cooper’s Hawk Winery
BEST LOCAL RELIGIOUS LEADER
Eddie Lowen, lead minister
West Side Christian Church
Despite his position as lead minister of one of Springfield’s largest churches, Eddie Lowen is about as humble as they come. In fact, he jokingly refers to himself simply as “lead guy” around West Side Christian Church, where he has served since 2000. Lowen has led West Side through a period of rapid growth, sponsoring several church plants in the U.S. and abroad, as well as the recent launching of an online campus. However, Lowen is quick to give credit for that growth to God and West Side’s leadership team. And unlike the stereotypical TV evangelist, you won’t see Lowen buying a private jet or preaching the “prosperity gospel” of health, wealth and happiness. Hearing Lowen speak, it’s easy to tell that he cares deeply about his community, both inside and outside the church walls. Runners-up: Fr. John Ossola, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki
BEST LOCAL SPORTS TEAM
Springfield Sliders
1415 North Grand Ave. East, 679-3511
The Springfield Sliders baseball team is perhaps one of the city’s most underappreciated assets. It’s a wonder that Robin Roberts Stadium isn’t packed to capacity every time they play. The tickets are inexpensive, the beer is cold, the snacks are plentiful, and the play is quick. What more can you ask for on a warm summer evening? The Springfield Sliders are part of the Prospect League, a regional conference highlighting up-and-coming college players. Several former Sliders recruits have been drafted into the Majors, which should say a lot about the quality of players in the league. But our favorite part of the typical Sliders game is the hilarious sideshows between innings. Ever seen a kid in a hotdog suit race kids in ketchup and mustard suits around the bases? If you haven’t been to a Sliders game, you’re missing out. Runners-up: Rochester Rockets football, Chatham Titans
BEST PLACE TO GET YOUR COPY OF ILLINOIS TIMES
County Market 1903 W. Monroe St. 210 E. Carpenter St. 3001 S. Veterans Parkway 2777 S. Sixth St. 109 Illini Drive, Sherman 1099 Jason Place, Chatham
Despite what some millennials might think, the best place to get Illinois Times is not the Internet. A screen can never replace paper. The weekly paper edition is the anchor that makes the ship float, so to speak, and so it is important for everyone in Springfield to get a copy of Illinois Times as quickly as possible each Thursday. Do not go to work or to school or do anything else until you have a copy in your hands, and if this makes you late, your boss or teacher will understand. Readers who can’t live without us agree that County Market is the best place to get us, and it’s easy to see why. There are plenty of locations so you won’t have to go far. Plus, you can pick up some groceries so you have something to sustain your body while we keep your mind sharp. Runners-up: Head West Sub Shop, Café Moxo
BEST TV NEWS ANCHOR/ REPORTER
Ric Kearbey weather217.com
Technically, Ric Kearbey isn’t on TV anymore; he has upgraded. Kearbey was previously chief meteorologist for WICS Newschannel 20, but he left the station in April when his contract ended. Nevertheless, his loyal followers begged him to keep providing weather forecasts and insights, so he set up an online fundraising campaign, built his own recording studio, and launched weather217.com. The jump from TV to Internet-based weather on demand makes Kearbey a pioneer of sorts, and he’s loving every minute of it. “It’s such a fascinating, fun subject to watch, photograph and share with people,” he said, adding that reporting on a looming storm keeps the job exciting. “Of course, you want people to be safe, but there’s an adrenaline rush in that you’re providing information to keep people safe and informed when everybody’s awareness is heightened,” he said. “It’s nice to be that person that people trust.” Runners-up: Joe Crain – WICS, Stacey Skrysak – WICS
BEST MUSEUM BEST PLACE TO TAKE A TOURIST
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 112 N. Sixth St., 558-8934
For folks who live here and are oft prone to take Abe for granted, it’s easy to forget just how cool this place is. Those who don’t live here will be happy to remind you. From the outside, the design evocative of the White House and Lincoln Memorial sets the mood before you even walk in. Once inside, visitors are taken back in time, not so much by relics and artifacts but by exhibits featuring lifelike figures of Lincoln and his contemporaries that make the past seem to be happening in front of one’s eyes. We especially like the section of political cartoons that shows Lincoln’s detractors lampooning the Great Emancipator while recordings of his critics hurling insults, checked against historical records for accuracy, drive home the reality that Lincoln wasn’t always a popular figure. The Civil War In Four Minutes, a video that shows the movement of Union and Confederate lines while the death toll mounts, is as simple as it is unforgettable. Best museum runners-up: Illinois State Museum, Lincoln’s New Salem Best place to take a tourist runners-up: D’Arcy’s Pint, Obed and Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery