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),
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),
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
I remember well a night many years ago when a dear friend who was adamantly pro-choice came to me, sobbing uncontrollably. With defenses down, she unloaded a heavy burden she had long carried –
I remember well a night many years ago when a dear friend who was adamantly pro-choice came to me, sobbing uncontrollably. With defenses down, she unloaded a heavy burden she had long carried –
A growing group of individuals and organizations has designated Saturday, Feb. 4, as a “National Day of Action” aimed at preventing a war against Iran. The manifesto is simple: “No W
The year 2011 was a scary year for nuclear reactor sites. The summer floods threatened to encroach on reactors in Nebraska and Iowa, an earthquake and a hurricane happened in quick succession to rattl
Last week’s bizarre discussion at the city council committee meeting about the vote to deny employees in civil unions health benefits obscured another important issue raised that night. When Ald
Recently I visited Asheville, N.C., and witnessed how the 1 percent used to live. About one million people make the pilgrimage to the Biltmore House each year, and my wife and I now number among them.
With annum’s end here again, it’s time to bring out paper and pen – iPod or -Pad? – to begin another list of good intentions for the new year. For me it’s a challenge&nbs
As millions of Americans gather around dinner tables this holiday season, there’s no better time to be mindful of where our food comes from and who is ensuring its safety. This is particularly i
Can it be possible that the good ol’ boy political machine is weakening in Sangamon County? Clearly, some kind of change is underway. The normally disciplined and restrained Republican Party eng
For fiction lovers, the upcoming presidential campaign, which might match Newt Gingrich against Barack Obama, promises to deliver a cornucopia of entertaining untruths.Gingrich published a book last y
Get ready voters, election season is here again. Door knocking has already begun as candidates for national, state and local offices pass petitions to get their names on the ballot. Critical offices l
In January, the University of Illinois announced it was raising its tuition on new undergraduates at its three campuses yet again. Lamentation was general throughout the land. Tuition for residents at
In January, the University of Illinois announced it was raising its tuition on new undergraduates at its three campuses yet again. Lamentation was general throughout the land. Tuition for residents at
By the late 1980s, Sears & Roebuck had lost the knack of selling America its school clothes and car tires like it used to. However, it was still able to sell the governor of Illinois, the General
The National Park Service has released its final general management plan that sets the parameters for development and preservation at the Lincoln Home National Historical Site for at least the next 15
Springfield’s School District 186 has set up a web page titled “Where Are They Now?” On it, graduates of Springfield public schools are invited to “share their success stories
I wouldn’t want to be quoted on it, but I think it was Michael Burlingame, in his comprehensive biography of the 16th president, who revealed that Abraham Lincoln started thinking about a new ca
Writers of newspaper columns, it turns out, are not the only people who have trouble getting sentences right. Eyebrows, if not voices, were raised when federal judge James Zagel set 14 years in prison
Here’s a recap for those who spent the past few weeks standing in line at Walmart: In November, Bill Cellini, Springfield’s very own robber baron, was convicted on federal charges of attem
Have you ever thought about how much Freddie Mercury’s Queen owed to the works of Gilbert and Sullivan? You have? Okay, we’ll talk about something else.The other day State Rep. Bill Mitche
Certain Republicans have given way to fits of partisan bloodlust lately and tried to beat the current president with the bones of one of his long-dead Democratic predecessors. Franklin Roosevelt, they
Perhaps you have read about, if not seen, Mitt Romney’s latest TV campaign ad. Mr. Romney, keep in mind, is the responsible GOP contender, the grown-up in the room, the calm voice on platforms o
APOLOGIZE, CWLPAfter CWLP’s recent admission that utility service is at risk without continued rate hikes, I believe some apologies are owed to CWLP retail ratepayers. In particular, from those
APOLOGIZE, CWLPAfter CWLP’s recent admission that utility service is at risk without continued rate hikes, I believe some apologies are owed to CWLP retail ratepayers. In particular, from those
TALL MUSICIANS I was pleased to see Tom Irwin get the recognition he richly deserves [see “The ballad of Tom Irwin,” by Scott Faingold, Jan. 19]. His weekly columns have been consiste
QUINN, GAMBLING KINGGov. Pat Quinn recently rattled his sword in support of a casino in Chicago and four other sites in Illinois. He also touted the feds giving the OK for Illinois to begin selling lo
COSTLY PRISONSWhen do longer prison sentences and harsher punishments become counterproductive and financially irresponsible? For the past four decades politicians have built their careers on the get-
LEGACY THEATREThank you for highlighting the arts in Springfield [see “Upbeat arts in a down economy,” Dec. 22, by Scott Faingold]. However, one story you seem to have missed is the purcha
WHY VICTIMS SUEBishop Thomas Paprocki [see “Holy warrior,” by Bruce Rushton, Dec. 8] claims that child sex abuse victims sue bishops because of the devil’s influence and because &ldq
CHALK QUESTIONSHow can it be illegal for anyone to chalk a sidewalk? It will wash off; it is not permanent or damaging [see Cap City, p. 8]. The news report about the recent Occupy Springfield chalkin
JOY IN BEAUTYIn his 1912 tract, “The Gospel of Beauty,” Vachel Lindsay wrote, “The things most worthwhile are one’s own hearth and neighborhood.” Lindsay specifically hig
STATEHOUSE FUNA recent opinion in a local paper stated that members of the current legislature need to retire. I agree, but the voters have had the ability to retire them long before they ma
IMMIGRATION VS. JOBSRegarding “Three strikes and you’re in: Immigrants as the solution, not the problem,” by James Krohe Jr., Nov. 10: In the first decade of the 21st century (2000 t
“Sorry, we’re closed.” In one of the saddest signs of the times, this message is popping up all across the country, as governors and legislators are cutting off funds (and shutting o
“Sorry, we’re closed.” In one of the saddest signs of the times, this message is popping up all across the country, as governors and legislators are cutting off funds (and shutting o
What planet does presidential wannabe Rick Santorum live on? When it comes to grasping the situation of America’s hard-hit workaday majority, this sweater-vested ultra-right-winger is further ou
Oh, to be in Afghanistan again, when the poppies are in bloom!If you need a symbol of how America’s decade-long war is going in this faraway land, look no farther than the beautiful fields of re
And away we go!Not just into a new year, but – zap! – suddenly we find ourselves catapulted en masse into the turbulent Twilight Zone of the 2012 presidential election. On day three of the
It wasn’t that long ago that the act of “gift giving” didn’t require a maddening trip to Walmart or a desperate online search for this season’s must-have toy. Rather, a g
It’s at this time of the year that generous, big-hearted Americans reach out to aid the less fortunate among us – like those who’ve recently been knocked down by the recession and se
“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secur
Mea culpa, I misspoke, my bad – I stand corrected.In past commentaries, I have called Newt Gingrich a lobbyist. Apparently, he hates that tag, even though he has indeed gotten very wealthy by ta
In the Nov. 8 elections, the national media gave extensive coverage to a proposed “personhood amendment” to Mississippi’s state constitution. This was an extremist anti-abortion ball
As you recover from Thanksgiving excess, make this a season to celebrate our country’s food rebels!Yes, rebels. People who dare to challenge the conventional wisdom and try to find a better way
Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards, never known for holding his tongue, was just getting warmed up.“We should set the goals,” the alderman declared two weeks ago as the city council pondered Mayor
Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards, never known for holding his tongue, was just getting warmed up.“We should set the goals,” the alderman declared two weeks ago as the city council pondered Mayor
Every day, the rusty steel rails of the 10th Street railroad tracks carry trainload after trainload of coal, manufactured items and raw materials through Springfield. But those tracks carry more than
Ward 1: Young newcomer challenges a familiar faceIn 2008, Ward 1 got a Wal-Mart on South Sixth Street. Meanwhile, Mike Crews and Frank Edwards got an election issue. Both alderman candidates highlight
The year was 1969 and Sheila Simon remembers fidgeting in her seat as her father, the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, was sworn in as lieutenant governor of Illinois. Nearly eight years old at the time, Sh
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
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
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
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
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
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
Last week, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared to all but endorse an idea to force downstate and suburban school districts to pay a significant share of their state pension contri
Last week, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared to all but endorse an idea to force downstate and suburban school districts to pay a significant share of their state pension contri
Back when the reformers demanded that state campaign contributions be capped, they said it would limit the dollars flowing into Illinois political funds. But, overall, contributions have only bar
As you probably know already, Moody’s slapped Illinois with its worst credit rating of any state in the nation earlier this month.But while Moody’s report was damaging, S&P’s rat
He didn’t come out and say it, but Gov. Pat Quinn has apparently abandoned his promise to allow the “temporary” income tax hikes to expire three years from now. The governor submitte
I talked with former state senator Howie Carroll last week about state Rep. Bill Mitchell’s (R-Forsyth) proposal to kick Chicago and suburban Cook County out of Illinois. Mitchell’s resolu
A massive turnaround in the Illinois House may have whetted political appetites for even more corporate tax relief. But don’t count on it just yetAs you may recall, a tax cut plan for corporatio
“I... I... I... I... I couldn’t fathom what I would say to those two girls,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stammered last week when asked what he would say to Rod Blagojevich&rsqu
It’s a fairly common Statehouse phenomenon that bills will zoom out of the Senate or the House and then flame out in the other chamber. People in the other chamber just don’t always care a
While all eyes last week turned to the Republicans’ lawsuit against the new federal district map for U.S. congressmen, a similar GOP lawsuit against the legislative district map for Springfield&
“I love this governor!” exclaimed a jubilant utility lobbyist a few weeks ago. Why would a utility lobbyist express his undying love for our self-proclaimed consumer activist governor? Sim
Untitled Document The Midwest is where it’s at — for corn and politics. Five Midwestern states — Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana — acco
Untitled Document The Midwest is where it’s at — for corn and politics. Five Midwestern states — Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana — acco
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
