Dana-Thomas House Foundation donates $50k for historic Springfield site restoration
On Wednesday, it was announced that the Dana-Thomas House Foundation donated $48,874 to the Illinois Conservation Foundation to facilitate the purchase and installation of historically appropriate rugs at the Dana-Thomas House.
Urbana City Council approves method to pay millions for previous agreement with Hotel Royer
'The Dana-Thomas House is not only an architectural masterpiece but also a vital piece of our state's cultural heritage,' said Natalie Phelps Finnie, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 'Preserving historic sites like this ensures future generations can learn from and experience Illinois' rich history.'
The Dana-Thomas House is one of the most complete early examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie-style architecture. Wright designed the house in 1902 for socialite and philanthropist Susan Lawrence Dana.
Additionally, the home contains over 100 pieces of original Wright-designed furniture and more than 250 examples of art glass.
Monticello students build bike racks for park named after fallen Marine
The Illinois Conservation Foundation will administer the donation to ensure it directly supports the carpet restoration project at the Dana-Thomas House. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources operates this house, as well as 55 other state historic states across the state.
'We are proud to work alongside the Dana-Thomas House Foundation on this effort,' said Jenny Vaughn, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation. 'Public-private partnerships like this play a critical role in ensuring that Illinois' historic sites and state parks are protected and maintained for the future.'
This historic site is open to the public for tours year-round. To learn more about the Illinois Conservation Foundation, or to support preservation efforts, visit ilconservation.org.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
12 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Nonfiction Books To Read
Truth is, I'm not an adventurous reader. As a book lover, I really should be, but I often find myself sticking stubbornly to one genre. At age 12, I was a diehard R.L. Stine fan and proclaimed myself a horror-exclusive reader. Then at 14, I discovered Harry Potter and made that series my entire personality. My late 20s were dominated by thrillers, and it wasn't until recently that I've tried something new: nonfiction. For many staunch fiction readers like moi, nonfiction can feel like an intimidating genre. I enjoy a good story with an engrossing narrative, and nonfiction, depending on the title you pick, can read like a boring college lecture. I've dabbled with a few, and so far these are the seven genuinely enjoyable nonfiction books that kept me turning the page. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel Think stealing one artwork is impressive? Imagine stealing more than 200. Stéphane Breitwieser did exactly that during his eight-year stint as a master art thief. Along with his accomplice-slash-lover, Breitwieser road-tripped across Europe, hitting one museum after another a lá Bonnie and Clyde (minus the murders). The most striking thing about this is how maddeningly mundane and simple these heists were. No fancy gadgets, no rappelling from the ceiling, Mission: Impossible-style. All he needed was a screwdriver, a big enough coat, and lax security. Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker Out of the 12 Galvin children, six suffered from schizophrenia. Hidden Valley Road is both a tragic family biography about violence and abuse and a history of schizophrenia: how it's studied and treated throughout the decades. It's emotional, informative, and a fascinating read. The medical sections of the book were interesting, but what really kept me reading was the family drama. If you're interested in psychology and mental illness, this should be next on your list. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner This is a beautiful, bittersweet biography about the complex relationship between Japanese Breakfast singer and songwriter Michelle Zauner and her mother. She talks about her childhood, split between relatives in Korea and her predominantly white hometown in Oregon. She walks us through her rebellious teen years, her pursuit of music, and her mother's cancer diagnosis. This book made me cry and pick up the phone, calling my own mother. When you read this, keep the tissues handy. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy If you loved iCarly, you likely remember the titular character's best friend, the memorable and feral Sam, played by Jennette McCurdy. Given everything we know about child stardom, it's no surprise that McCurdy's time at Nickelodeon was less than picture perfect. In this autobiography, McCurdy details the abuse she endured from her unstable mother at the rise of her career. Though the darker parts of the book may be difficult to read, McCurdy's effortless humor lends a tone of levity throughout the story. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe A group of masked intruders dragged Jean McConville out of her home and into the night — she was never heard from again. Although this book digs into McConville's disappearance, much of it recounts The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the bitter, violent conflict between the IRA and the British Army in the '70s to the '90s. You'll learn much about Northern Ireland's history, politics, and the main figures leading the cause. This book is a thick one, full of rich and detailed info, so be prepared — you're in for a long read. Sociopath by Patric Gagne Patric is not like other girls. Not in a 'pick me' kind of way, but in a I-don't-feel-empathy-for-people kind of way. That's because Patric believes she's a sociopath. The draw of this biography, for me, is the peek into Patric's mind. It's interesting to witness her internal struggle: While she has an impulsive need to act violently, she deep down wants to be a good person and strives against her urges. Now, there is online debate about this book's authenticity, but for me, I'm all in, real or not. And if 10 years from now it's revealed to be all lies, at least it was still an entertaining read. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann In 1920s Oklahoma, the Osage Nation, living on oil-rich land, were the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The community thrived until…someone began killing them off, one by one. This is an absolute must-read about a forgotten dark time in American history. Written like a fast-paced thriller, this book unravels the secrets and conspiracy behind the Osage murders. If you must read one thing from this list, let it be this. It's a dark and tragic story, one you'll never forget. These books are just a stepping stone to my nonfiction journey, with Devil in the White City as my current read to be followed by Kingmaker. I may keep this nonfiction streak, I may not. Who knows — maybe I'll try sci-fi this fall.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
2 Ways To Support An ‘Anxiously Attached' Partner, By A Psychologist
If your partner constantly needs reassurance, for instance, if a slight delay in your response spirals into doubt or panic on their end, it's quite possible you're in a relationship with someone who has an anxious attachment style. In that case, it's completely normal if, at times, you feel overwhelmed. When you choose to love someone who is constantly afraid of losing love and is predominantly driven by their fear of abandonment, it helps to understand where this fear comes from. People with anxious attachment styles aren't trying to be difficult. They're often operating from an embodied fear of disconnection, which could have been shaped by past relationships where safety wasn't consistent. While their reactions might seem intense, underneath these emotions is often a simple question: 'Are you still here with me?' That being said, remember that you do not have to pacify someone or justify their every reaction. You can bring the shift in your dynamic by recognizing that behind the urgency is often a need for emotional safety. With the right support, this need can be met without either partner losing themselves in the process. While you reflect on this, remember that compassion doesn't mean abandoning boundaries. It just means staying connected while helping the relationship grow into something more secure for both of you. This does not mean that you have to carry the entire weight of building safety alone. It's not your sole responsibility to manage your partner's emotions, fix their triggers or bring about a shift in their thinking. Both partners need to understand that no real change can occur unless both are open to self-reflection and willing to co-create something healthier. The path toward a secure connection isn't smooth or immediate, but what's important is that it is possible. No matter what shaped your attachment patterns or your partner's, it's always possible to evolve. And sometimes, this begins with just a few subtle shifts that help both nervous systems feel more at ease. Here are two ways you can build more security in your relationships. 1. Move From 'Fixing' To Attunement Often, when a partner feels anxious, their need for reassurance doesn't have to be met with logic. In moments where they feel triggered, their nervous system is likely not looking for facts or explanations. They're likely just scanning for signs of emotional safety: 'Am I still safe with you? Am I still important to you?' If you're someone who can't relate to these fears, and perhaps you have a more secure or avoidant attachment style, this might seem all too confusing, or even like an overreaction. While you may not comprehend or understand how to respond to their fear, your anxiously attached partner often views your silence as danger. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology explored how people with different attachment styles behave in threatening or emergency situations from the lens of 'social defense theory.' Social Defense Theory (SDT) is an evolutionary extension of Bowlby's attachment theory. SDT suggests that insecure attachment styles (anxious or avoidant) may also have adaptive value, especially in group survival situations. The study presented theoretical arguments as well as empirical data to highlight that all attachment styles bring unique strengths to group survival. Researcher Tsachi Ein-Dor found that people with anxious attachment noticed threats sooner than others. In the study, their heightened vigilance made them more likely to alert others and mobilize action quickly in the face of danger. The study was predominantly set in a survival context, but the same hypervigilance often shows up in romantic relationships, too. An anxiously attached partner might notice even subtle shifts in tone, body language or emotional availability. This likely happens because their nervous system is wired to detect signs of potential disconnection in relationships as early as possible so that it can protect itself. When you see your partner acting out of hypervigilance, you may view their responses from a logical lens and your first instinct might be to 'fix' what's bothering them. While this comes from good intent, it may not always serve the purpose and can even leave your partner feeling more emotionally unseen. Research published in the International Journal of Applied and Psychoanalytic Studies examined how individuals with different attachment orientations respond during emotionally charged situations, especially when attachment needs, such as the need for reassurance, safety or connection, are activated. They studied this using a therapeutic lens. The important takeaway was the emphasis on 'attunement,' which is the ability to recognize and respond to a partner's emotional cues, as a critical skill in romantic relationships. The authors found a positive shift when couples moved away from trying to fix emotional responses with logic or problem-solving. When couples worked toward creating emotional safety and presence, it significantly improved relational outcomes. Attunement allowed couples to break the cycle of reactivity. This even helped couples access the deeper attachment needs underlying their emotional patterns. This reinforces the idea that many emotional triggers in romantic relationships are not irrational but rooted in deep-seated attachment mechanisms. For anxiously attached individuals in particular, moments of silence, delay or disconnection can feel threatening. So, what looks like 'overreacting' to you is often your partner's nervous system trying to protect love before it's lost. When you see it with that awareness, their anxiety becomes easier to meet with compassion rather than correction. 2. Shift From Reactive Boundaries To Proactive Reassurance When your partner is anxiously attached, it's easy to default to defensiveness or rigid boundaries in response to their fears. This is especially true when their fears show up frequently and repeatedly. Despite your love for them, you might find yourself thinking they're 'too much;' too sensitive, needy or reactive, and this can automatically make you want to protect your own peace or sometimes even lash out. However, in trying to protect your own space, you might start reacting with withdrawal, cold logic or shutting down emotionally. However, someone with anxious attachment isn't usually soothed by facts or space. They need consistency and emotional availability that's not just reactive, but proactive. In a 2020 study, researchers set out to empirically test a core assumption of attachment theory: that 'perceived partner responsiveness,' which means feeling seen, understood and cared for by one's partner, is a critical factor in fostering attachment security. They examined both general attachment tendencies, that is, how individuals relate to close others overall and partner-specific security, which refers to how secure they feel with a current partner. Researchers found that individuals who perceived their partners as consistently responsive reported lower levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance, especially in the context of that specific relationship. More importantly, the results showed that this effect was even more pronounced in individuals who were already insecure. This suggests that responsiveness can actively reshape internal patterns of functioning that are built on past instances of rejection or abandonment. In particular, for people with anxious attachment stemming from a fear of being unwanted or unworthy of love, ongoing reassurance plays a transformative role. The 2020 study highlighted how when these individuals perceived their partner as responsive; they not only felt more secure in that relationship but were also more likely to revise their beliefs about themselves and others more broadly. This finding directly supports the idea that shifting from reactive behaviors (like protest or withdrawal) to proactive reassurance in relationships is not just comforting, but also truly healing. When you consciously offer consistency and emotional availability, you are not only proving immediate security and relief but also helping reprogram deeper attachment patterns gradually. True attachment healing doesn't happen from simply being told 'you're safe.' It comes from experiencing safety over and over again, especially in moments that once triggered fear. Remember, the brain learns through patterns. So, every time your partner reaches out and you meet them with warmth instead of withdrawal, you are literally offering their nervous system a new script to follow. Learn To Feel Safe Together Being in a relationship with someone who has anxious attachment can come with certain challenges. While initially their responses may seem foreign to you, pausing to step into their shoes can make all the difference. Begin to view their reactions not as 'drama' but as protective patterns that emerged from trying circumstances. This will open up space for compassion. There may be moments when you feel emotionally stretched or confused, where it feels like you're walking on eggshells or carrying the emotional weight of the relationship. Acknowledging those moments is not a sign of weakness. It's an important signal in understanding your own boundaries and emotional needs as you continue to understand your partner, too. It's all too easy to write someone off as 'too much,' 'toxic' or 'a red flag' at the first sign of emotional intensity, but we forget that secure connection isn't always something you find. Sometimes, it's something you build. All secure relationships had to start somewhere, and it's a journey with undertaking. While it's true that not every relationship is meant to be held onto, many are dismissed before they've been truly explored or given the chance to evolve. In the most real sense, a healthy connection is about being willing to grow and evolve through the messiness of a relationship together, and it all starts with cultivating a little more understanding for one another. Curious how emotionally safe and seen your partner makes you feel? Take this science-backed test to find out: Perceived Responsiveness Scale
UPI
2 days ago
- UPI
On This Day, Aug. 1: Worldwide ban on cluster bombs goes into effect
Aug. 1 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1498, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus set foot on the American mainland for the first time, at the Paria Peninsula in present-day Venezuela. In 1790, the first U.S. census showed a population of 3,929,214 people in 17 states. In 1907, an Aeronautical Division was added to the Army Signals Corps. The first aircraft bought by this forerunner of the U.S. Air Force was built by the Wright brothers. In 1961, the first Six Flags amusement park opened on 212 acres in Arlington, Texas. In its opening year, admission for adults cost $2.75 and for children cost $2.25. File Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI In 1966, Charles Whitman killed 16 people, including his wife and mother, in Austin, Texas. Thirty-two people were wounded. Most of Whitman's victims were struck by shots fired from the University of Texas Tower. The gunman, a student and ex-Marine, was killed by a police officer. In 1977, Francis Gary Powers, pilot of a U-2 spy plane shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960, was killed in the crash of his weather helicopter in Los Angeles. In 1981, MTV premiered with the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." In 1994, Lisa Marie Presley confirmed rumors that she had married pop star Michael Jackson May 26 in the Dominican Republic. The couple divorced less than two years later. In 2004, nearly 400 people died in a supermarket fire on the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay. In 2005, Saudi King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, who had ruled since 1982, died after a long illness at the age of 83. He was succeeded by his half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah. File Photo courtesy the Arafat press office In 2007, an eight-lane bridge across the Mississippi River at Minneapolis, collapsed during the evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring nearly 150. About 50 vehicles were thrown into or near the water when the steel-and-concrete Interstate 35W span buckled and fell. In 2010, a worldwide ban on cluster bombs went into effect. Cluster bombs, usually dropped from planes, are filled with smaller anti-personnel bombs, which are scattered over wide areas. More than 120 states have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. In 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama said CIA agents who interrogated suspects after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States "crossed a line" and "tortured some folks." In 2024, Simone Biles became the first American in history to win two Olympic all-around gymnastics titles, taking home gold at the Paris Summer Olympics. Fellow American Suni Lee -- who won the all-around gold in 2020 -- took home bronze, and Brazilian Rebeca Andrade captured silver.
