The village of Jerome is seeking entrants for its upcoming Fourth of July parade, and looking ahead to the future of the community. WMAY's Jim Leach spoke with Jerome village president Mike Lopez about life in the village, its business prospects, and a parade that recalls a simpler, happier time in our lives.

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When his doctor told him "Lose weight or die," Martinus Evans had an unlikely reaction -- he vowed to run a marathon. Despite his doctor's skepticism, Evans has met that goal, and is now encouraging others to do the same, even those who think their size and condition would make it impossible. WMAY's Jim Leach talks with the author of "Slow AF Run Club" about how to get started and about the benefits of getting more mobile and active, even if you don't cross the finish line of a marathon.

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Just over a month into the job, Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher talks with WMAY's Jim Leach on a wide range of issues, from the latest on the Wyndham project downtown to the future of Lincoln Library to her thoughts on downtown parking and traffic patterns.

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The a cappella women's vocal group marks its 70th anniversary in Springfield this weekend with a performance at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Two members of the ensemble spoke with WMAY's Jim Leach about the long history and bright future of the Sound Celebration Chorus.

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State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) explains why she was a "no" vote on the new state budget, discusses legislative victories and defeats, and talks about her role on Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski's agriculture steering committee, in a live on-air interview with WMAY's Jim Leach.

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The Central Illinois Customer Service Association has a special event coming up Wednesday, featuring a motivational speech by Austin Hatch, a young man achieving his dreams despite repeated personal tragedies. WMAY's Jim Leach spoke with representatives of the association about Wednesday's event at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel downtown.

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"The Lincolns of Springfield" is a new musical about Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln from the earliest days of their courtship on through to the White House. WMAY's Jim Leach had an extended conversation with the husband-and-wife team bringing this musical to Springfield for an extended engagement, starting June 15th at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Here's Part 2 of that discussion, including a performance of a song from the show.

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"The Lincolns of Springfield" is a new musical about Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln from the earliest days of their courtship on through to the White House. WMAY's Jim Leach had an extended conversation with the husband-and-wife team bringing this musical to Springfield for an extended engagement, starting June 15th at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Here's Part 1 of that discussion.

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The 2023 season of the Springfield Muni Opera opens Friday night with "Fiddler on the Roof." WMAY's Jim Leach talks with the director and several cast members of the beloved musical ahead of their opening night. Get more details on this season's shows and find a link for tickets at themuni.org.

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It's the 61st year for a Springfield tradition -- the International Carillon Festival at Washington Park, running this week Thursday through Sunday (June 1-4). Event organizers and the carillonist at the Rees Memorial Carillon in Springfield talk with WMAY's Jim Leach about the history of our local carillon and why this festival draws musicians from around the world. You can learn more about the festival at carillon-rees.org.

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