Sangamon County cuts DUI officer
The Sangamon County sheriff’s office plans to end a driving-under-the influence program that pays the salary and ancillary costs for an officer assigned full-time to DUI enforcement. “We won’t have someone specializing (in DUI enforcement),” said chief deputy Jack Campbell. Campbell blamed a cutback in state funding for the decision to terminate the program. During…
Green Suffers from a terminal case of the cutes
The Odd Life of Timothy Green requires a giant leap of faith as it deals with the creation of an ideal, seemingly out of thin air. In this case, that would be the title character, a handsome, charming, sweet, smart 10-year-old (C J Adams) who grows from the garden of a childless couple who, during…
Ferrell’s Campaign one for the ages
Lurking beneath the surface of Will Ferrell’s last two big-budget films are scathing indictments of the state of our society. During the end credits of 2010’s The Other Guys is an effective series of graphs and figures showing how the gap between the haves and have-nots has widened severely over the last decade. (This is…
Letters to the Editor 08/23/12
NONVOTERS LOUD AND CLEARTed Cruz [see “The people’s choice! Only, not really.” By Jim Hightower, Aug. 16] may be a nut and he may have only had 4 percent of the people who walked into the voting places and thus took advantage of their right to vote. Those who did not go to the polls,…
Fired up
Old Capitol Blues and BBQs returns to downtown Springfield, Aug. 24 and 25, with sizzling music and munchies. The BBQ competition is smokin’ with rib, pulled pork, brisket, open and dessert categories. Vendor yummies include ribs, pulled pork, pork chops, brisket, rib-eyes, chicken wings, barbecue nachos, kabobs, potato salad, slaw, fried green tomatoes and peach…
Art, bikes and rock ’n’ roll
Rock musician. Fine artist. Cycling champion. If lifelong Springfield resident Jeff Williams does not qualify as a genuine renaissance man, he’ll have to do until one comes along. In addition, these disparate areas of interest have built on each other throughout a 30-year career, in often unexpected ways. Williams and his band, NIL8, have come…
Inspiring creativity
Local artists, poets and musicians are featured Wednesday, Aug. 29, during what should be an inspiring and entertaining evening of performances at Prairie Art Alliance Gallery II, south side of Old State Capitol Plaza. Rub elbows with some of Springfield’s most talented folk from Springfield Poets and Writers, Prairie Art Alliance and the area music…
Just what the doctor ordered
When it comes to their health – and eventually, everything does – Americans’ motto is, “Too much is never enough.” That phrase ought to be printed on every test report, every insurance form, every hospital receipt generated by a national health care system that spends more and gets less for it than more advanced nations…
THR shuts down
THR & Associates this week closed stores in Springfield, Jacksonville and Urbana as the company heads toward bankruptcy. The troubled Springfield-based company, which has been bouncing checks and owes millions of dollars in delinquent taxes, has ceased operations and will liquidate rather than attempt to re-organize via bankruptcy, according to filings in the divorce case…
Here comes the judge!
From now on, I’d appreciate it if you would address me as “Your Honor.” I’ve been a judge at various food competitions over the years, including the Heritage Recipe Contest at the State Fair last week and, since 2006, at Springfield’s Blues and BBQs Festival. But this time I’m not just any schmuck who gets…
Open the ballot to third-party candidates
The very foundation of American democracy is the right of citizens to circulate petitions to appear on the ballot as candidates for public office. But just getting on the ballot as a candidate is a high hurdle, particularly if one seeks to run as a third-party candidate in Illinois. The problem is that the…
The story behind the State Fair boos
If you were following the news last week, you already know that hundreds of AFSCME members packed the Illinois State Fair Director’s Lawn last Wednesday afternoon and booed pretty much everybody who tried to speak at the annual Democratic event. The only person of consequence to escape most of the hostility was Secretary of State…
The dark mite
I’ve been separated from my wife for three years, but I find myself craving her. I say “crave” because I don’t think I ever really loved her. We only got together 15 years ago because she asked me out. I would never have approached her, as I’m not attracted to her. She is overweight, has…
Shelley Miller and Jeremiah Birnbaum
As these two acclaimed singer-songwriters work through an eight-day Midwest tour, the music is not the only thing being celebrated. Birnbaum spent a good part of 2012 recovering from a vocal cord injury and is now back singing again, while Miller is warming up for a Northwest tour that includes a prestigious and intense songwriting…
More moving music
By the looks of the Springfield scene, the days of searching to find something to do may be over for good. This week is chock-full of exciting musical adventures sure to please the palate of many a music listener. Let’s start with Thursday night as the Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield Area Arts Council,…
Black liquor moonshine
Question: If you mix a cocktail of “black liquor,” biofuels, diesel and a generous splash of tax subsidies – then have it shaken vigorously by a U.S. senator and served in a golden goblet by corporate lobbyists – what do you call it? Answer: Koch Brothers Moonshine. Black liquor is the key ingredient here, though…
What a difference a year makes?
A little more than a year after the start of a housing inspection blitz, nearly all of the MacArthur Park apartment complex in Springfield has been inspected. City officials acknowledge some progress at the 188-unit complex near Jerome known for blight and crime. But they’re not satisfied after inspecting 38 four-plexes since Aug. 5 of…
Quixotic musical
The musical Man of La Mancha opens with a gala performance on Friday, Aug. 24, followed by five performances at the Hoogland Center for the Arts LRS theater. A pre-show cocktail hour and post-show dessert reception, cast meet-and-greet and silent auction are included in the price and festivities of the opening night gala. Over the…
An eye for the ladies
Former Jerome police officer Steven Stirmell kept nude photographs of himself on the police department’s computer system and also made unwelcome advances toward women, according to investigative files prepared by village police and investigators with the state attorney general’s office. Furthermore, the investigation at one point spilled over to the Sangamon County sheriff’s department, which…
Golf classic to benefit injured motorcycle riders
Charlie Roberts, 51, of Springfield, knows what it’s like to race a motorcycle at speeds of more than 130 miles per hour around a flat track. He also knows what it’s like to lose control of a bike, ending up seriously injured and hospitalized a long way from home. After an injury in 1980, Roberts…
Awesome folk
Folk duo Tina and Her Pony play what promises to be a remarkable, intimate concert Sunday evening at Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation. The couple’s original songs echo the sound of Appalachia, while creating new waves with radical, queer lyrics, uncommon instrumentation and tight vocals. Tina and Her Pony formed in Asheville, N.C., in 2009…
catdoorpoem #1
seeing cats at a home of friendstravel back and forth throughtheir cat door I am reminded ofmy grandson now eagle scoutcollege man when he was notyet three he crawled through acat door into a strange housefollowed our directions to thefront door while outside awindow we held our breathsgesturing encouragement hefound the lock too complicatedmanaged to…
Expendables 2 drowns in excess
There are too few surprises left in American movies so, as a rule, I try to avoid watching previews when I go to see a film. I know that the main attraction will begin about 10 minutes after the advertised start time, so I take my time in the lobby if I get there early,…
