HOLD THE PICKLE A documentary about a guy who gorges on fast food — and blimps up as a result — won’t be showing at area movie screens this Friday. No, we’re not talking about hefty filmmaker Michael Moore, whose Fahrenheit 9/11, has been extended for another week by Kerasotes Theatres. The film that has […]
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Never Say Die
Last Sunday, in a cramped visitation cubicle inside the Crawford County jail, Julie Rea-Harper climbed onto a small stool and balanced carefully on her bare feet. She wanted her visitors on the other side of the bulletproof glass to admire her toenails, freshly painted a delicate shade of peachy pink. A few days earlier, when […]
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Da Senator
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama says he welcomes a possible challenge from former Chicago Bears football coach Mike Ditka in the November election. “The speculation is fun for everybody,” Obama says. “Particularly the press, who I think is bored with the lack of an opponent for me so far.” Ditka, 64, told Chicago-based reporters […]
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The fat rap
Corn growers and processors are fixing to pop a kernel over a recent report that blames Americans’ expanding waistlines on the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup. Among those leading the charge: the St. Louis-based National Corn Growers Association, which recently called on members to launch a letter-writing campaign, and the Washington, D.C.-based Corn Refiners […]
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Grace About Town
The funny thing about my life is that things rarely go as planned. I confess that lots of times I don’t even have a plan, but I really don’t think it makes any difference whether I have one or not. Take last weekend: Friday afternoon, my best friend, Christine, called. She just moved from L.A. […]
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A simple ceremony
The eyes of the world were on Massachusetts two months ago as it became the first state to legally recognize same-sex marriages. New Jersey last week began issuing extended domestic-partnership benefits to homosexual couples, a policy already in place in California and Hawaii. In Maine, a similar law goes into effect later this month. Vermont […]
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Party poopers
For the people inside the tent, it’s a special occasion — a time to celebrate a wedding, reconnect with cherished friends and favorite relatives, dance with all the bridesmaids, catch the garter, and toast the happy couple. For the people outside the tent and just across the little street called Canedy, though, it’s not such […]
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Grace about town 7-8-04
Note to editor and everybody else: You may think I’m suddenly only writing about My New Boyfriend (MNB), but I promise that this isn’t really true — except for this week. So if you’re one of those people who is annoyed by talk of love and all that mushy stuff (and I was right there […]
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Rocket’s red glare
In case anybody was wondering how Jim McGill celebrated Independence Day, the answer is yes, bottle rockets were involved, although McGill had very little to celebrate. In May, McGill, also known as “Jim the Photographer,” was on the job, working for Ray Lytle’s Morning Disaster show on WQLZ (FM 92.7), when he sustained an injury […]
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quick takes 7-8-04
SOUR CLOUT In a close race, Central City Neighborhood Association last week changed its name to something with more flavor — Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association. As one of the most vocal and active such groups in Springfield, it only makes sense that they would chuck the blandly alliterative appellation for a more titillating title. Still, […]
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The Spoilers
Ralph Nader was “snubbed.” He was “rejected,” “rebuked,” “spurned,” “bypassed,” “set adrift.” Plainly put, the legendary consumer advocate and perennial presidential candidate “blew it.” So read headlines across the country and around the globe after the Green Party formally disowned the man who did the most to raise its profile. At their national convention, held […]
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Dead end
Investigation into a death threat aimed at one of Springfield Police Department’s most outspoken officers wrapped up recently with no tangible results. Since March, SPD’s major case unit has been investigating a threat reportedly targeting Lt. Rickey Davis, who is vice president of the Black Guardians Association and a plaintiff in a race discrimination lawsuit […]
