Letters to the Editor

HOW TO AVOID TAX I almost fell off my chair laughing when I read the letter from the smoker who challenges non-smokers to contribute to the cause (tobacco taxes) just as smokers do [“Letters,” April 22]. I took a moment to digest this diatribe until I realized this guy may just be having fun with […]

GREEN HOSPITAL I am writing to you regarding your article about St. John’s Hospital’s future building plans [see “Getting bigger, going green,” April 8]. It is laudable that they plan on making that building locally built and green. However I did not hear “state-of-the-art” included in that admittedly short article. I hope the hospital will […]

MEMORIES OF STEVIE’SThank you for the memories about Stevie’s Latin Village. I remember during the 1960s my parents would go to Stevie’s for occasional Saturday night dates. They would get all dressed up in their finest, get a babysitter for us, and go out for a good time. Mom always bragged about the veal scallopini. […]

NUCLEAR SPHERESAfter having read Diane Ivey’s article on “Nuclear Power Revival” [March 18], I wanted to bring an additional consideration of nuclear power in Illinois. About a decade ago, when I was a Project Engineer in the Reactor Safety Section of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (before Governor Blagojevich merged the various duties of […]

ILLINOIS FAIR MAP No longer do only magicians or teachers draw things from hats; this happy power also resides in the political parties of Illinois when deciding which party’s map will be used for the new districts after the census. Redistricting is a process done after each census done every 10 years to better accommodate […]

GAMING EXPANSIONThe question has been asked, “Is the time right for gaming expansion?” Wealthy track owners want to legalize video gambling and slot machines to transform racetracks into land-based casinos. The last thing Illinois needs is 6,600 more gambling machines. Electronic gambling machines were legalized at Pennsylvania racetracks a few years ago. Now the slot […]

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,” Feb. 25]. Lee’s story and the photographs highlight our hard work to present this exhibition for the people of Springfield, the nearby area, and visitors to our city. […]

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 actually result in some bipartisan policy (well, at least at the executive level, if not the legislative level)? Bipartisan policy – what a novel idea! But I’m not […]

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 five or six. I remember seeing them back in 1975 at the Lincoln Park Nelson Center skating rink, along with groups like Uriah Heap, Sammy […]

LIBRARY LOVE So 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-billion dollar corporations, as well as allowing city and library property taxes to slip through their fingers when these loopholes could easily […]

A LESSON IN STATE GOVERNMENTRe: 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 have to ask — where have you been the last eight years? The same could be asked of Daniel Hynes, since he had […]