First Night Springfield is celebrating its 38th anniversary on New Year's Eve. The annual event is an alcohol-free event, providing family-friendly fun with craft activities, music, comedy and more. Executive Director Bella Szabo spoke to Community Voices about the event and what visitors can expect at the four venues in downtown Springfield hosting First Night including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, The Hoogland Center for the Arts, The Dana-Thomas House and Union Square Park. For a list of all the activities and ticket information visit: springfieldartsco.org/first-night

Roxanne Layton previews Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas tour tradition, coming to UIS PAC Dec. 21

The Citizens Club of Springfield convened in November with a panel of political reporters to discuss the 2024 election and what it means. The panel featured retired reporter and columnist for The State Journal-Register Bernie Schoenburg, Illinois Times reporter Scott Reeder and Peter Hancock from Capitol News Illinois. The discussion was moderated by Kent Redfield, professor emeritus from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Jacob Laurenzana is a senior at the University of Illinois Springfield. He received a scholarship from the World Affairs Council of Central Illinois to attend the World Affairs Council of America's National Conference in Washington D.C. November 19-22. He spoke to Community Voices about his experience at the conference and why being informed about international affairs is valuable. To learn more about the World Affairs Council of Central Illinois click here.

Yoga in the classroom could become a weekly occurrence for Illinois students as Senate Bill 2872 goes into effect on January 1, 2025. The bill provides instruction on relaxation activities which will be incorporated weekly for 20 minutes in Illinois schools. Dr. Jennifer Martin and Dr. Alex Wolfe spoke to Community Voices about the bill, how teachers can incorporate relaxation practices in the classroom and the physiology behind exercise and meditation that lead to increased academic achievement.

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra will perform its annual holiday concert Friday Dec. 13 in Springfield and Saturday Dec. 14 in Bloomington-Normal. ISO Music Director Taichi Fukumura and Founding Executive Director of Springfield Youth Performance Group Taryn Grant, spoke to Community Voices about the various collaborations featured in the concert and how they keep holiday traditions fresh. For more information and ticket details click here.

Kathy Lamsargis is the author of the book “Marbles in a Fishbowl,” which details her memories with her grandparents and the life lessons they shared. Lamsargis spoke to Community Voices about her inspiration for the book, how it can be incorporated into classroom lessons and the importance of sharing stories.For more information on the book visit: https://kathylamsargis.net/

The University of Illinois Springfield School of Politics and International Affairs and the Center for State Policy and Leadership hosted a panel discussion titled, “Foreign Affairs in the 2024 U.S. Election and Beyond,” which featured UIS professors Adriana Crocker and Ali Nizamuddin, along with assistant professors Brandon Bolte and Isabel Skinner from the School of Politics and International Affairs. AJ Simmons, research director for the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership, moderated the event. The panel discussed the state of foreign affairs and how the U.S. might respond in the future during a second Trump presidency.

Dr. Dana Crosby is chair, program director, and professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at SIU School of Medicine. She is also Director of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery as well as Director of Otolaryngic Allergy. She spoke to Community Voices about what drew her to this medical specialty, what all Otolaryngology encompasses, and how chronic issues with the senses impact quality of life. Dr. Crosby also talks about working with residents as they prepare to become surgeons.

A staple of the holiday season, the Salvation Army’s red kettles are stationed at the entrance of numerous stores, but the organization is seeking more volunteers to draw attention to those kettles by ringing bells. Salvation Army Envoy Jeff Eddy and board member Michael Thomas spoke to Community Voices and explained how people can volunteer and how donations are distributed in Springfield.