Long Shot’s O’Shea Jackson Jr. is Ready to Shine
With legendary rapper Ice Cube as his father, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. is no stranger to the world of movies, as he often visited the sets where his dad shot his many films as a child. He’s also no stranger to living in the shadow of his famous father, something that was heightened when he made…
Tennis, anyone?
With fewer than 1,000 students, Quincy University isn’t big. At nearly $41,000 a year for tuition, room and board, it isn’t cheap. And with 19 sports in a break-even athletic department that runs on more than $6 million a year, the school isn’t immune from sports scandals. The university, according to a pending federal lawsuit…
Can Pritzker get his priorities passed?
From the looks of things, the fine print of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s most important legislative priorities should start becoming public not long after state legislators return from spring break on April 30. Legislators, the governor’s office and stakeholders have been negotiating the nuts and bolts of numerous items for weeks and they’re just about finished.…
Letters to the Editor 4/25/19
LET’S HAVE A TREE COMMISSION In response to Bruce Rushton’s opinion piece (“I love trees,” April 11), I love the idea of having a tree commission so much that I would even like to serve on it. I can understand how we came to have a tree shortage, reason one being that they take up…
Editor’s note 4/25/19
Sometimes we just have to say no. Our friends at NPR Illinois, who already have an ad in the paper, were asking if we might find some editorial space this week to promote the many events they have planned for their first Public Radio Week, April 29-May 5. To make room for that we’d have…
What Michelle O doesn’t know about divorced dads
When the most admired woman in America last week compared Donald Trump’s presidency to spending the weekend with a fun-loving irresponsible divorced dad, she probably didn’t intend to disparage divorced and single dads. Unfortunately, she did. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, speaking in London to promote her new book, Becoming, said, “Sometimes you spend weekends…
Elijah Iles House
The Elijah Iles House was built in the 1830s, making it one of Springfield’s oldest houses. There is evidence that it was designed by the same architect who designed the Old State Capitol. It is one of Illinois’ earliest residences in the Greek Revival style of architecture. Two of Springfield’s most famous citizens, Abraham Lincoln…
217 Food Week
217 Food Weeks are intended to highlight local flavors and promote local businesses. Each food week focuses on a particular type of food or drink such as burgers, Italian dishes or appetizers. 217 Nacho, Taco and Margarita Week will be a celebration of tortillas and tequila from May 6-12. Unique, off-menu nacho and taco dishes…
Paprocki and pedophiles
A quarter-century ago, the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago was in crisis. A priest had been indicted for sexually abusing a child. Lawsuits were pending. Priests were removed from parishes after the church appointed a commission – two laypeople, plus the auxiliary bishop – to investigate sexual misconduct cases and recommend improvements. After the commission issued…
Pana’s solar car on the road
Energetic high school students from Pana adopted a can-do spirit, built a solar-powered car, entered the 2018 Solar Car Challenge road race from Fort Worth, Texas, to Palmdale, California, and came in fifth place. They were awarded best first-year solar car team displaying the highest level of technological achievement. Katelyn Townsend, a freshman, and Lucas…
Ending DNA backlogs
The Illinois State Police implemented new initiatives last month to handle the state’s DNA backlog. But even with new standards in place, officials say it could take up to two years to make a sizeable dent in all of the cases awaiting DNA testing. While victims want justice as quickly as possible, the ISP says…
Endgame a perfect ending to a marvelous saga
Expectations couldn’t be higher for Marvel Films’ Avengers: Endgame, arguably the most anticipated movie in film history. Having already broken pre-ticket sales records before one frame has flickered on the screen, there’s no question that parent company Disney will turn a tidy profit on this endeavor. Still, there’s a great deal riding on this movie…
Music for good
Come along for serious fun and good works as we hang out for the last weekend of April. Amidst the regular happenings of frivolity and frolic are some serious issues that folks in the music world are doing to help out those in need using the curative powers of making music together. In the early…
Sushi Roll
Formed in Chicago in early 2012, this dance-pop-rock cover band is known for fun gigs and top-notch performances, all combined with theatrical costumes and musical characterizations. In other words, this is not your typical cover band, even though they do many contemporary and classic acts in covering music from the likes of Bruno Mars, AC/DC,…
Food flowers
A “country lawn.” That’s how my grandmother always describes the expanse of lush green grass behind my house. Like describing an apartment in a rental ad as a “charming and vintage” instead of “small and old,” calling ours a “country lawn” is polite way of saying there are weeds in our yard, lots of weeds.…
facial feature poem #1
facial feature poem #1 now that these last few years I’ve become a news junkie I’ve seen the faces on TV not just read their words or heard their NPR voices no this isn’t a political poem it’s about the leader of the judicial committee Jerry Nadler’s left eyebrow – maybe you’ve noticed how it…
