Vanessa Ferguson

This year is the 150 th anniversary of the dedication of the Lincoln's Tomb. President of the Old State Capitol Foundation Crystal Boyd and Vice President Alex Smith spoke to Community Voices about the celebration of the 150 th anniversary on Oct. 12, which will feature food, a President Grant impersonator and 1800 TinType photography.

“Journey to Freedom: Illinois' Underground Railroad” is a new traveling exhibit, which highlights the people and challenges of the Underground Railroad. Sarah Watson, executive director of Looking for Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, and Program Manager of Looking for Lincoln Heather Feezor spoke to Community Voices about the exhibit and how it shares stories often unheard about the underground railroad.

The Legacy Theatre is serving the community with its regional premiere of the hit musical “Waitress.” Director Lori Ann McCabe and leading lady Elizabeth Eckert spoke to Community Voices about the show, which features music by Sara Bareilles. They highlighted the cast members and explained how many pies it takes to perform “Waitress.”

Michael Sullivan is an attorney living in Springfield. Sullivan was the Deputy Prosecutor in the Prosecutor’s Office in Indianapolis and was previously the Senior Assistant Public Defender for Sangamon County. He spoke to Community Voices about Miranda Rights, what it is really like inside a courthouse and his internship at the White House.

Indigenous People’s Day is a holiday that’s been increasingly recognized by more states and more Americans, but it has yet to become a federal holiday and replace Columbus Day, which has been the subject of criticism in recent years. Two local teachers Michelle Cruz Hine and Emily Anderson have spoken out about removing Columbus Day from the Springfield Public School District 186 calendar. They spoke to Community Voices about the problematic history of Christopher Columbus, the history of the Taino people and the values they want to see celebrated in American culture.

The Citizens Club of Springfield met in September to hear from the Independent Coalition for our Neighborhoods (ICON), a non-profit organization which advocates for cleaner, safer and healthier neighborhoods throughout Springfield. President of the group Mark Mahoney spoke to the crowd to explain how the organization advocates for improved city policy and procedures. He also shared video messages from ICON Board Members Polly Poskin and Jill Steiner.

“Hurricane Diane” is the latest play presented by the UIS Theatre program. It follows the Greek god Dionysus who visits Earth as a permaculture gardener named “Diane” in hopes of fighting climate change with the help of four suburban News Jersey women. Director of the show Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson and Professor of Biology Dr. Amy McEuen spoke to Community Voices about the play, the cast and the hope they want audiences to have leaving the theatre.

Taylor Stevens is the regional community liaison for Synergy HomeCare in Central Illinois. She spoke to Community Voices about the business, which provides in-home assistance and support, including housekeeping, transportation and companionship. Stevens explained the personalized service Synergy HomeCare provides and the diversity of the clients they serve.For more information visit: https://synergyhomecare/il-springfield-62711/

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra will present its next concert, “Paris Impressions” on Friday Nov. 8, at the UIS Performing Arts Center in Springfield, Ill. and Saturday Nov. 9, at the ISU Center for the Performing Arts in Normal, Ill. Grammy-nominated conductor and the former Music Director of ISO Alastair Willis will conduct the orchestra. The concert will also feature actor Robert R. Mangialardi who is currently an Emeritus Assistant Professor of Voice and former Director of the Opera Theatre program at Illinois Wesleyan University. The program includes:Selections from Franck Symphony in D minorDebussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a FaunStravinsky Firebird – Petrushka – Rite of SpringPoulenc Les BichesRavel La ValseFor ticket information visit: ilsymphony.org

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is making strides in cancer research through its collaboration of medicine and engineering expertise. Professors Bill King and Stephen Boppart spoke to Community Voices about the projects which will explore production of uniform 3-D tumor models for testing research and improved optical imaging technologies to improve surgical precision in the removal of cancer cells.