From his graduation in 1959 at Northwestern University School of Law until he died Aug. 14, 2020, at age 84, James Robert Thompson made an indelible imprint on Illinois history. Over those six decades, he lived life large, most of it in public view from one end of the state to the other. Thus, his […]
Robert E. Hartley
Posted inArts & Culture
For political intelligence, he was the man to know in Springfield
ERA EUGENE “GENE” CALLAHAN A single word comes to mind when discussing the life of Gene Callahan of Springfield: Loyal. Loyalty was not something just sprinkled throughout his adult life. It was a major part, beginning with his family and including people and experiences of a lifetime. Callahan left his job as reporter and columnist […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Professor, writer, outdoorsman, public servant
DAVID TEMPLETON KENNEY A first impression of David Kenney revealed a fraction of the man. He was mild-mannered, openly friendly, never cursed, and his manners were almost Victorian. To those who discovered his career as a university professor, he came across as a kind of southern Illinois version of Mr. Chips, the character from British […]
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‘We’ll do the right thing for people.’
ALAN JOHN DIXON To the Illinois political world he was “Al the Pal.” During his 42 years as an elected public official he had the broadest grin around. He signed his letters “Your friend,” whether they were friends or not. By his own account he may have consumed more beer than the Anheuser and Busch […]
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A U.S. senator, independent and faithful to his beliefs
For followers of contemporary Illinois politics, the name Charles Percy needs some refreshing. In an earlier day he served as a Republican for three terms in the U. S. Senate (1967-1985) and established a record for independence that today would be admired – or feared. He died Sept. 17 in Washington at the age of […]
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This picture of Illinois politics isn’t pretty
The title of this book, Illinois Politics: A Citizen’s Guide, is less than inviting when compared to many political items on bookstore shelves today. But the story between the covers tells a gripping tale of the state’s past and present, and will unnerve readers about prospects for the future. This is no treatise prepared just […]
