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Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Inquiring mind wants to go

Nosy writer has been inspired by place where the powerful sometimes trample the innocent

Just about seven years ago, I moved here from Texas to find out whether I could still do journalism. I had worked for major mainstream newspapers in Dallas and in Anchorage (yes, Alaska),

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

The plot sickens

Former SPD cop learns her mother’s Burr Oak­­­ grave was likely plundered, resold

The first time Renatta Frazier heard about massive grave robbing at an Alsip cemetery, she didn’t give it a second thought. A tiny village on the southwestern tip of Chica

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Shades of gray

Friends of bicyclist who died in a crash are haunted by new DUI charges against motorist

Mark Jennings spent more than 20 years serving his country in the U.S. Army Airborne. When he retired around 2002, “Sarge,” as he was known, enjoyed gardening, cooking out and

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Teching things to extremes

A view inside opposing camps of the gizmo revolution

Two years ago, Todd Green was happy with his Blackberry. Or so he thought. Then he went to his son’s basketball practice, where another dad hanging out in the bleachers was showing

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Boy wonder

Young state police director changes troops’ attitude, but not much else

It’s been less than three months since Jonathon Monken became director of the Illinois State Police, but already he has jolted the agency. Which is sort of what troopers were hoping he would d

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Peace begins on Hazel Lane

Hope Institute and its neighbors are talking. There’s hope for the world.

I now believe there will be peace in the Middle East. I also believe that the Illinois legislature will someday ratify a budget before the fiscal year ends, and Dick Cheney will appear on

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

High-octane intervention

Parole officer’s near-death experience sends him searching for “the gas-pump lady”

From the kitchen table where he was eating supper with his family, Jeff Hart saw the clouds change direction. They rolled east, then shifted suddenly west, like they had just de

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

Putting the leader in cheerleader

At Lanphier High, three brave boys add fresh bounce to the rah-rah squad

You’ve seen these guys before. OK, maybe not this specific trifecta of testosterone, but you’ve undoubtedly seen guys just like them, clowning around on the sidelines at the f

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

To get fresh teachers, grow your own

Nikki Moore “belongs in a classroom,” but she didn’t know that at first

A few years ago, someone in the Chicago public school system came up with a brilliant way to help Riley Higgins, who was then about 3 years old and living in Springfield. Why would anyone

Dusty Rhodes: Fresh Ink

The long road

Deidre Lockhart, now a professional with a master’s degree, reflects on her colorful past

Ask Deidre Lockhart how tall she is, and she will tell you she’s just under 5-foot-10. You don’t even have to verbalize the follow-up question. With a tone that says “I ge

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

What’s wrong with the New York Times?

Placing faith in the archaic notion that journalism sells

By Fletcher Farrar

I love the New York Times. I quote it so often my kids think I don’t know anything I didn’t read there. So naturally I was drawn to the long piece in May’s Vanity Fair on NYT publish

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

Archaeology and a newspaper editor

Dishes dumped “out back” yield stories of a friend of Lincoln in early Springfield

By Fletcher Farrar

A plain white pitcher, a bowl, a broken plate and a whiskey bottle from the mid-to-late 1830s are among the finds from Floyd Mansberger’s digs on the block where the Abraham Lincoln

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

The questionable future of FutureGen

Political clout may not be enough to make this project work

By Fletcher Farrar

When U. S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu met with the FutureGen Alliance on Monday to discuss whether to proceed with a large-scale coal gasification demonstration plant near Mattoon, he fa

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

When the Crime Stoppers dumpster came to my street

Is this good police work, or a substitute for it?

By Fletcher Farrar

When I first heard about the new Crime Stoppers drug dumpster, I found it amusing. A trash dumpster, welded shut, painted orange, is stenciled with, “A suspected drug house is in thi

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

For local banks, Springfield is a good place to be

Shielded from the worst of the chaos, they ride out the recession with confidence

By Fletcher Farrar

As America looks around for someone to blame for the current economic mess, bankers are the easiest target in sight. “No one wants to hug a banker,” reads a recent Newsweek hea

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

The lies and demise of Roland Burris

We need a higher standard than telling the truth

By Fletcher Farrar

It is a sad and sickening sound, that of another good reputation gurgling down the drain. Only a few weeks ago, Roland Burris was remembered as a trailblazer in Illinois politics, who had

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

Two strong women I knew

The people, the animals and the stories that shape our lives

By Fletcher Farrar

Georgina Blair died last week at 92. When I visited in her home on the family farm in Virden a few years ago, she showed me this picture of her and her father with one of his prize mules,

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

What if things are as bad as Obama says?

Stirring words are welcome in troubled times

By Fletcher Farrar

People are so ready to be relieved of the Bush presidency, and to end the Iraq war, that Barack Obama could have said anything, or nothing, in his inaugural address and it would still be

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

The homeless taking care of business

With clear goals, H.U.C. goes to work

By Fletcher Farrar

At this business meeting of homeless people, some of the speeches are long and rambling, but that’s no different from many of the church and professional meetings I sit through regu

Fletcher Farrar: Reporter at Large

It’s the stupid economy

Rough days lie ahead. How we react will make the difference.

By Fletcher Farrar

The national economic crisis brings a sense of foreboding to a small city like Springfield. Sometimes the nation’s worst weather bypasses here; the coasts get the hurricanes, fires a

Guest Opinion

Reaching the summit on health reform

By Janet Trautwein

President Obama recently convened lawmakers from both parties at the White House for a summit on health reform. Although the attendees failed to strike a grand compromise, Democratic congressional lea

Guest Opinion

Amid challenges, Congress makes a mess

By Norman Brown

The bitterness and dysfunction in Congress continue, with the Republicans in the Senate and the House refusing to vote for any bills which the Democrats might point to as something they, and Congress,

Guest Opinion

Where in the world is the U.S. going?

Announcing a Citizens Forum on Foreign Policy

By Roy Wehrle

Isn’t it interesting that so many people walking through life today seem not to see or be aware of the most spectacular scenery of events the world has ever produced? We live in a pivotal epoch

Guest Opinion

Interest in organic food may not be all good

By Clayson Lobb

As the eating patterns in America shift towards healthier foods, the demand for natural and organic products is rising. No one wants to support the food industry using unnatural, cheap, and secretive

Guest Opinion

The cure for common sense

By Ross Wareham

There seems to be no end to commercials for prescription drugs these days. They all seem to feature the same type of generic scenes of people strolling on the beach in billowy clothing, laughing at a

Guest Opinion

Fasting for Obama’s broken promise

By Diane Lopez Hughes

Last week, 150 people from across the country completed an 11-day fast to bring attention to the Obama Administration’s broken promise to shut down Guantanamo within one year. The promise was ma

Guest Opinion

Firsthand report: Iran is Israel’s primary concern

By Dr. Stephen Stone

Last month in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Palestinian city of Ramallah, I met with high-level Israeli, Palestinian and American officials to discuss regional issues, and a range of Israeli foreign po

Guest Opinion

City must put neighborhoods first

By Mark Mahoney

Promoting safe and livable neighborhoods throughout our community should be the number one priority of city government. Embracing that priority must not only include the wise investment of our limited

Guest Opinion

Discovering moon rocks in Illinois

By Lisa Moore

I am a criminal justice graduate student whose professor assigns students the task of investigating and hunting down the whereabouts of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 moon rocks, given to the 50 states,

Guest Opinion

Video gambling is the new crack

By John Kindt

Becoming law in July 2009, the Illinois Video Gambling Act allowed Illinois more gambling and more video gambling/slot machines (VGMs) than Nevada. This legislation permitted any licensed establishmen

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Drawing the line?

Springfield as a border town on the North-South divide

By James Krohe Jr.

Maybe it was the recent election of Richard Nixon to the White House that left me looking to the past rather than to the future in 1974. That was the year I published Honest Abe’s Honest Almanac

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Giving immortality to their littleness

Gov. Thomas Ford’s history of Illinois politics

By James Krohe Jr.

Illinois has a very short list of distinguished governors and a somewhat longer one of able historians. The list of distinguished governors who also are able historians is very short indeed. Only one

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

What about the banjo?

A Springfield grade-schooler confronts American folk songs

By James Krohe Jr.

When I was a student, I was introduced to the concept that the simplest-sounding phrases had irreconcilable and contradictory meanings that rendered interpretation impossible. No intellectual test was

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

The people’s choice

Direct primaries and the Scott Lee Cohen fiasco

By James Krohe Jr.

The obituaries for the political career of the unfortunate Scott Lee Cohen list as the cause of death all the common viruses of Illinois politics, from dunderheaded party leaders and lazy reporters to

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Holy inkwells

Turning Lincoln stuff into sacred relics

By James Krohe Jr.

Many years ago, I made my first visit to the Illinois State Historical Library in its handsome but cramped new quarters beneath the Old State Capitol. Having time to kill while waiting for the staff t

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Someone from outside

Springfield’s tradition of Lincoln Scholarship

By James Krohe Jr.

“One thing I don’t like, and Springfield don’t like, is someone to come in from outside and tell us about Lincoln.” That was the late Murray Hanes, talking as only Hanes could

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Teaching idiots

Is this the golden age of the autodidact?

By James Krohe Jr.

This town has been the theater for the careers of many a self-made man and woman (and nearly as many unmade ones) but the self-taught person is rare among us. Not so a century and more ago. In Illinoi

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Harvesting electricity

The newest energy crop from Illinois fields

By James Krohe Jr.

The American Wind Energy Corp. in December announced its intention to plant 25,000 acres in western Sangamon County with wind turbines, beginning in 2011. While county officials busy themselves determ

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Age-inappropriate literature

The rewards of reading books before you are ready

By James Krohe Jr.

I was a bookish boy. I read at school and at home, encouraged by boredom and the summer reading programs at Lincoln Library. I didn’t read to learn; I read to be entertained. (There is no spur t

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

Scared space

De-engineering residential streets to make traffic safer

By James Krohe Jr.

The folks down in Chatham are facing that dilemma so familiar to our migrant middle class families whose second homes consist of minivans or SUVs: As more and more young families with children move to

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 03/11/2010

By Letters to the Editor

NORTH TO ALASKAThank you for the wonderful story by Ginny Lee about the Illinois State Museum’s “North to Alaska” [see “Alaska visits Springfield in photos and artifacts,”

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 03/04/2010

By Letters to the Editor

BIPARTISAN POLICYThe “Editor's note” [see Feb. 25 issue] suggests a Quinn / Dillard ticket for the November election of governor and lieutenant governor. Goodness gracious, could this act

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 02/25/2010

By Letters to the Editor

KEEP ON LOVIN’ REOWhat a great article from Scott Faingold on REO Speedwagon [“REO Speedwagon rolls home,” Feb. 18]. I have fond memories of REO concerts, having been to at least fiv

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 2/18/10

Lincoln Library, Turbine Turmoil and District 186 Schools

By Letters to the Editor

LIBRARY LOVESo we raise the city sales tax and lay off employees at Lincoln Library? Furlough days for everybody.Can someone explain to me why our city fathers forgo sales tax revenues from multi

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 02/11/2010

By Letters to the Editor

A LESSON IN STATEGOVERNMENTRe: Caroline Newsmann’s letters [Letters to the editor, Dec. 23 and Jan. 14], Miss Newsmann and friends of Senior Services of Central Illinois, as polite as possible I

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 01/28/2010

By Letters to the Editor

FOREIGN FILM SERIESThank you for the great coverage of Molly Schlich’s foreign film series [see “Reel foreign,” Jan. 14]. I was delighted by all the pages given to the series. T

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 01/21/2010

By Letters to the Editor

FLAWED LAWRe: the texting ban [see “Texting ban more bark than bite” Jan. 7], they will need to ban eating, smoking, hygiene (makeup, shaving etc.) or any other distraction that can cause

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 1/14/09

Drive-up Liquor windows, Avatar and Daniel Hyne

By Letters to the Editor

DRINK AND DRIVE-UPIf you people think Sam Cahnman is an embarrassment, what about the fact that Springfield is the only major city in Illinois that still allows drive-up liquor window sales? How embar

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 01/07/2010

By Letters to the Editor

PROTECTING ANIMALSKudos to Illinois for being ranked as the state with the strongest laws against cruelty to animals by the Animal Legal Defense Fund.    Treating cruelty to animals ser

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor 12/31/2009

By Letters to the Editor

FOOD, INC.After seeing Food, Inc. I am recommending it to all of my friends. I am feeling extra appreciative of my voice and purchasing power to affect change in our area. I am appalled that our gover

National - Jim Hightower

Goldman Sachs authors a Greek tragedy

By Jim Hightower

Another Greek-based cargo ship and its crew were recently hijacked by Somalian pirates, costing the Greek owners an undisclosed amount in ransom. Such ongoing acts of brazen piracy off the coast of So

National - Jim Hightower

Fighting subversion of people’s sovereignty

By Jim Hightower

As you’ve probably heard, corporations are now “people” — humanoids that are equivalent to you and me. This miraculous metamorphosis happened on Jan. 21. Accompanied by a blind

National - Jim Hightower

Greed trophy up for grabs

By Jim Hightower

By gollies, the top executives of health insurance corporations are not giving up without a fight! To paraphrase every high school football coach who ever lived, “When the going gets ugly, the u

National - Jim Hightower

Corporate welfare roulette

By Jim Hightower

One thing that governors and mayors absolutely love to do is win a prize in the national game called “Corporate Welfare Roulette.” It’s a simple casino-style game in which politicos

National - Jim Hightower

Republicans out of touch as middle class sinks

By Jim Hightower

American politics is a hoot! Where else can raw ignorance rise to such high places — and then flaunt itself shamelessly for all to see? For example, who needs Jay Leno or Conan O’Brien for

National - Jim Hightower

Reining in the gods of the Fed

By Jim Hightower

Here’s a story that reads like the script of an old B-grade monster movie — and it would be comic, were it not so serious. The monster is named “The Fed,” a hydra-headed creatu

National - Jim Hightower

Selling a city’s soul — for chicken scratch

By Jim Hightower

Fire hydrants deserve more respect. They are utilitarian and ubiquitous icons of America’s urban landscape, yet they’re rarely noticed by anyone but dogs — who give them no respect w

National - Jim Hightower

Anti-terrorism officials are regulating us, not terrorists

By Jim Hightower

You didn’t get a virgin when you drew me as one of your political commentators, for I’ve been through the fires of Texas politics, including having been elected state agriculture commissio

National - Jim Hightower

Six things to do in 2010

By Jim Hightower

In my travels, I’ve heard many cries of despair from you good folks about the timorous Obama presidency. It’s been go-slow and don’t-rock-the-corporate boat. “Where’s the

National - Jim Hightower

Hoping for a new ethic in 2010

By Jim Hightower

This special season got me to thinking about America’s spirit of giving, and I don’t mean this overdone business of Christmas gifts. I mean our true spirit of giving — giving of ours

Politics

The man who would be senator

Can Alexi make it to Washington, D.C.?

By Patrick Yeagle

We meet at a trendy little café on Main Street in Peoria on a cold, sunny Monday afternoon. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is on the campaign trail, and he has agreed to meet me to talk abou

Politics

Chinas ethos of piracy

By Peter Kwong I Dusanka Miscevic

The year 2008 went out with a big bang for Microsoft. On Dec. 31, a court in China’s southern city of Shenzhen convicted 11 people of violating national copyright laws for manufactu

Politics

Flocking to the faith

Why Obama is wrong to pander to evangelicals

By Katha Pollitt

In the old days politicians would slip preachers some hundreds under the table and preachers would deliver the flock on Election Day. It was borderline illegal, but at least it left the Cons

Politics

His GOP appeal

Republican crossovers could make Obama the next president

By John Nichols

Untitled Document Rush Limbaugh and some myopic Democrats would have us believe that most if not all Republicans who have been voting in Democratic primaries are “dittohead

Politics

The formula for global despair

Trade agreements, commodity speculators orchestrate food shortages

By Serge Halimi

Untitled Document The International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization promised that more trade would help eradicate poverty and hunger. Food crops? Self-sufficiency

Politics

Bitter? You should be!

The economic pie is growing, but workers get a smaller slice

By Nicholas von Hoffman

Untitled Document U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, destiny’s tot, recently suggested that blue-collar Americans are feeling bitter about their financial condition, and critics have

Politics

Rushs chaos

Conservative talker pushes Clinton to damage Democrats

By Ari Melber

Untitled Document “Operation Chaos,” Rush Limbaugh’s campaign urging Republicans to vote for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton in Democratic primaries, has been very ef

Politics

Obamanomics

The senator from Illinois is sounding more and more progressive on trade

By John Nichols

Untitled Document JANESVILLE, Wis. — When I talked with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold about what the Democratic candidates for president needed to do to win the Wisconsin primary

Politics

The silver lining of climate change

Irony of ironies its the nations conservative regions that will be destroyed

By Dave Lindorff

Untitled Document Say what you will about the looming catastrophe facing the world as the pace of global heating and polar melting accelerates. There is a silver lining. L

Politics

Dropping out of the Electoral College

Illinois may join states endorsing the National Popular Vote initiative

By Martha Biondi

Untitled Document A Stanford University computer scientist named John Koza has formulated a compelling and pragmatic alternative to the Electoral College. It’s called the N

Politics - Rich Miller

Why the latest gambling push has a chance

By Rich Miller

The Statehouse is buzzing yet again with talk of a new gaming expansion plan. This time, the players say, they have their acts together. Really.I’m always pretty skeptical of these big legislati

Politics - Rich Miller

When a candidate for governor tries to help out a puppy gas chamber

By Rich Miller

Jerry Clarke is not easily ruffled. Not only has he seen it all in his years running campaigns in Illinois, but he’s served several tours of duty in Iraq as a combat helicopter pilot. But I thou

Politics - Rich Miller

Can Illinois beat New Jersey in battle over red ink?

By Rich Miller

Decisions made by a governor in a faraway, but strikingly similar state might actually influence our election right here in Illinois.Just a week or so after Gov. Pat Quinn lays out his state budget bl

Politics - Rich Miller

Brady needs to learn a new language

By Rich Miller

One of the biggest doubts about state Sen. Bill Brady’s gubernatorial campaign — assuming he survives a potential recount of the Republican primary — is whether he can transform hims

Politics - Rich Miller

Pat Quinn’s amazing comeback

By Rich Miller

Every night before an election day, I spend four or five hours on the phone with people I trust asking what they think will happen. There are always a couple of races that will have them stumped, but

Politics - Rich Miller

Blagojevich trial will make the campaign interesting

For Democrats, there’s trouble on the way

By Rich Miller

Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich told reporters last week that there might be a delay in the former governor’s criminal trial when a federal grand jury, as expected, hands down a new indictment. But

Politics - Rich Miller

Suddenly, Hynes is a contender

By Rich Miller

With the primary election just around the corner, just about everybody I know has asked me who I think will win the various races.I try to avoid making win/loss predictions, and this campaign season i

Politics - Rich Miller

Quinn’s State of the State lacks the “real meat”

Governor offers no plans for economic turn-around

By Rich Miller

“The Governor, at the beginning of each annual session of the General Assembly and at the close of his term of office, shall report to the General Assembly on the condition of the State and reco

Politics - Rich Miller

Should Quinn be held accountable for botched early prison release program?

By Rich Miller

Gov. Pat Quinn was quoted by the Associated Press last week as saying he's answered all questions about his administration's controversial, secret and completely botched early prison release program

Politics - Rich Miller

New polls look good for Jim Ryan

By Rich Miller

According to two recent polls taken by Rasmussen Reports and one by the Chicago Tribune, Gov. Pat Quinn has a detectable and significant problem with women voters, but a new development in the campaig

The Hype

Candidates of the corn

Where they stand on ethanol can make or break them — and that’s a shame

By R. L. Nave

Untitled Document The Midwest is where it’s at — for corn and politics. Five Midwestern states — Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana — acco

The Hype

Cut-and-run Democrats

New congressional leadership disinclined to beat on Bush

By R. L. Nave

Untitled Document For the past week, Democrats have been beating their chests, declaring that their reclamation of Congress, as well as the majority of governorships around the n

The Hype

Spoiler?

Whitney could crash the Democrats' party, and other predictions

By R. L. Nave

A lot has happened for Rich Whitney and the Green Party over the past six months. With very little money, the Greens collected about 433 signatures per day between March and June, dodged a formal obje

The Hype

Bellwether

Political climate will dictate who wins in the 99th

By R. L. Nave

One way to measure the difference between the candidates for Illinois’ 99th House District is paperwork. Let me explain: When Republican state Rep. Raymond Poe, R-99th District, visited the off

The Hype

A modest proposal

Were Obama a little less humble, he'd be perfect

By R. L. Nave

It has to be tough for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama — who’s been asked repeatedly whether he’s considering a run for president or would accept an invitation to be a vice presidential candi

The Hype

Juxtaposition

Whitney's participation could be a boon for Blago downstate

By R. L. Nave

With less than eight weeks to go before the November general election, Green Party gubernatorial long shot Rich Whitney has 6 percent support among likely voters, a Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll release

The Hype

So let's be fair

In Katrina blame game, media shouldn't get a pass

By R. L. Nave

One year ago this week, Hurricane Katrina nearly wiped out New Orleans, one of the oldest, most culturally rich, poorest, and, indeed, important cities in America. In the weeks leading up to the anni

The Hype

Life and debt

Africa needs more than just humanitarian aid

By R. L. Nave

Before embarking on a five-nation tour of Africa last week, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama expressed concern about the perception that he could deliver to the continent, as he told the Chicago Tribune, &ldquo

The Hype

Party Favors

GOP's Courtship of blacks appears to be working

By R. L. Nave

“They may be our color, but they’re not our kind,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, a loyal and longtime Democrat, of African-American Republicans during a television interview earlier thi

The Hype

No end in sight

The roots of Mideast conflict run deeper than the West can imagine

By R. L. Nave

Israel’s consul general to the Midwest, Barukh Binah, traveled to Springfield earlier this week to discuss the newest war in the Middle East, which started with the capture of two Israeli soldie