Springfield businesses say Illinois’ Amazon Tax not enough
It’s a battle already decided in Illinois, but the winners say they are still suffering. Now they’re preparing for a renewed fight in Washington, D.C. At issue is whether Internet retailers like Amazon.com, Inc. should have to collect state and local sales taxes. Illinois’ own “Amazon Tax” took effect in March 2011, but some Springfield…
A Christmas memoir
It was in Grandmother’s desk, the same desk she used to write to her sister in the 1880s. It is the same desk my mother used to write letters to me while I was in the army, and I have some of them in a drawer yet. My daughter used the desk to doodle on…
The cad catalogue
Three years ago, I was divorced six weeks from a 22-year marriage when I got involved with a married co-worker and persuaded him to divorce his wife for me. He has been married five times and cheated on all of his wives. I have reason to believe he’s still having sex with his ex-wife. I’m…
America’s leaders are small, but Americans are not
“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 secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” What a paragraph!…
‘We must do better for our young people’
Illinois’ system of warehousing juvenile delinquents doesn’t work, according to a state-appointed reform group calling for sweeping changes in how youth offenders are handled. The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, a state advisory group mandated by federal law, revealed Dec. 13 a damning report on the failures of Illinois’ juvenile justice system. More than half of…
Get out of jail dead
Sangamon County taxpayers will pay the family of a deceased inmate $60,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of Maurice Burris, who died a horrific death in 2007 due to a perforated ulcer that went untreated in the county jail. But Dr. Stephen A. Cullinan, the Peoria physician whose alleged indifference to Burris’…
Letters to the Editor 12/22/11
WHY VICTIMS SUE Bishop 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 “the most effective way to scatter the flock is to attack the shepherd.” He’s dead wrong. Victims sue bishops because they continue to ignore and conceal…
Wizard, spy, vampire, Oldman
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Gary Oldman is that physically, he’s quite average. For all of the larger-than-life performances he’s given over the years, you expect him to be much taller than five-feet-ten. To be sure, his personality does fill a room, a fact that became immediately clear when he sat…
Frank Trompeter Quintet
Saxophonist, singer and band leader Frank Trompeter celebrates 200 nights of the Jazz Etc. Happy Hour at Marly’s this Friday. Here’s a breakdown for you math-challenged folks: for the weekly show, take 52 weeks a year rounded off to 50, divided into 200 makes about four years of Friday nights. Figuring about 10 songs an…
Italian Christmas Eve seafood salad
This seafood salad is associated with Christmas, but it’s delicious any time of year. 1 lb. raw, peeled and deveined shrimp, 26-30 count 1 lb. calamari (squid) cleaned and cut into rings and tentacle sections 1 lb. large scallops, cut into fourths 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. salt a few black peppercorns 2 ribs celery,…
Talking turkey about food regulation
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 important when it comes to meat and poultry, because the misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture is leading to the creation of…
Holiday music musings
If you want a way to mess up a good weekend for local live music, try putting Christmas Eve on a Saturday night and see what happens. That’s what the calendar gave us for 2011 and the Pub Crawl reflects the effects of that scheduling maneuver. Without a lot of fine entertainment to crow about,…
Panettone bread pudding with Amaretto sauce
This is bread pudding with an Italian twist. Panettone is a sweet yeast bread that usually contains candied citron and/or raisins. It’s widely available at Christmas in Italian specialty stores such as Angela’s and the Italian Food Mart as well as groceries and elsewhere – Pecori found some this year at TJ Maxx! It makes…
Governor’s greens
The Illinois Executive Mansion is open to the public to view 21 unique holiday trees through January 7 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Decorations were provided by staff and volunteers of Illinois museums and historic sites, including: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Dana-Thomas House, Old State Capitol, Vachel Lindsay Home, Elijah Iles House, Lincoln…
Yuletide tour
The Springfield Park District hosts evening walking tours of the Henson Robinson Zoo that feature holiday lights each night through Dec. 23. Thousands of lights and displays mark the paths. This is a walking tour that the entire family will enjoy to brighten the holiday season. And to further brighten your season, if you bring…
Italian-American Christmas, Springfield-style
For years, my husband Peter’s entire dental office eagerly anticipated the arrival of Velma Viele Mayes’ Italian Christmas cookies. The large foil-covered cardboard box overflowed with anise-flavored pizzelle, fried knots of wine-infused dough, cookies filled with dates, cookies covered with sprinkles, and too many others to name or even remember. I used to work there…
After corporate tax break, other companies ask, ‘Where’s mine?’
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 yet As you may recall, a tax cut plan for corporations and individuals failed miserably in the House a few weeks ago, getting 8 votes – comically short of the 60…
Italian spicy chocolate drops
1 c. butter, softened 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1/2 c. honey 2 eggs 1 c. ground toasted almonds 1/2 c. cocoa 1/2 c. cold coffee 1 tbsp. grated orange peel 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 3 c. all purpose flour 1. Beat together all ingredients except flour. Stir…
Flower power
The festive holiday floral show at the Washington Park Botanical Garden Conservatory must come down. What do they do with all those seasonal blooms? The Springfield Park District gives them away. The public is invited to drop by and receive a free poinsettia from the display on Wednesday, Dec. 28, between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.…
Federal subsidies end at MacArthur Park
The Springfield Housing Authority has notified the owner of MacArthur Park apartments that it will no longer issue Section 8 housing vouchers for tenants in the complex due to a history of building code violations. “Entire buildings, as well as individual units, have been placarded ‘Occupancy Prohibited,’” wrote Jackie L. Newman, housing authority executive director,…
Country collections
Journey the short distance to Clinton and enjoy Candlelight Tours for two more Friday nights during the holidays at the DeWitt County Museum in Clinton. The restored C.H. Moore Victorian Mansion and Farm Museum are decorated for the season. There is also a gift store for unique holiday shopping before and after Christmas. For more…
Good and true
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 attempting to extort a Hollywood producer eager to protect a profitable business deal with a State of Illinois agency. After the trial, it was…
Upbeat arts in a down economy
“I’m glad they’re here, kicking the arts in the butt,” smiles Betsy Dollar, executive director of the Springfield Art Association. She is referring to the organizers and participants of Third Thursday, the upstart local collective whose calling card is a floating, monthly exhibition featuring volunteer artists [see “The Third Thursday artists,” by Tom Irwin, July…
