Fired police detective reinstated
An arbitrator has ordered Paul Carpenter reinstated to his position as a Springfield police officer. Under the decision released today by arbitrator Jeanne Vonhof, Carpenter, who was fired in 2006, is due back pay and benefits, less a 30-day suspension, according to Ron Stone, attorney for the Police Benevolent and Protective Association Unit 5, the…
Night as fun as it is frightening
Hollywood has never been shy about plundering its past in order to remake properties that have proven successful. Now referred to as “reboots,” as slightly modern spins are put on these dog-eared tales, a sense of desperation hangs over these projects. They are hobbled from the start and the final film usually proves that some…
A TREEHOUSE FOR ALL
For many, a treehouse is a symbol of childhood. After a short climb and a kid, shorter than all those in the adult world, is suddenly master of his own little universe. But for others with disabilities, treehouses have often been off limits – until now. Whether child or adult, climbing isn’t necessary to sit…
Fall classical fare
As autumn sets in, Springfield audiences can rest assured the rich repertoire of local and regional musicians will temper the cooling weather. From Labor Day pops concerts (think baseball) to Christmas choruses, musicians in central Illinois offer their talents as the soundtracks to our seasonal experiences. Illinois Symphony Orchestra With the exit of its 11-year…
Letters to the Editor 8/25/11
BUNNIES BACK Welcome back, “Life in Hell”! We have missed you. Break a (rabbit) foot! Chaminade KelleyDecatur P.S. Does this mean that rabbits really do return from Hell? SCHOOLS THAT WORK Congratulations to Iles School for achieving the prestigious International Baccalaureate status. I am a proud supporter of Iles School because my daughter received the…
Cooking up perfection
This two-day music and food fest in downtown Springfield is much anticipated. Highlighting a six-band lineup on the Media Stage is Jimmie Vaughan and the Tilt-a-whirl Band featuring Lou Ann Barton on Aug. 27 at 9 p.m. presented by Downtown Springfield, Inc., Miller Lite Live and Sangamon Valley Roots Revival. The Illinois Central Blues Club Challenge…
Big old tractors come to Rantoul
While many are gearing up for the Decatur Farm Progress Show Aug. 30-Sept. 1, lovers of old iron are bent on heading to the former Chanute Air Force Base to see machines built 50 years ago work the soil. This year’s Half Century of Progress show takes place Aug. 25-28 at the National Aviation Center…
Parents need to have their voices heard at school
A growing number of parent “no-shows” at parent-teacher conferences and a consistently poor performance of low-income and minority students have one coalition looking for ways to rebuild the parent-teacher relationship in Springfield. The Faith Coalition for the Common Good (FCCG), a nonprofit organization made up of faith-based and community organizations, has started a grassroots discussion…
Doubling raffle limit worries anti-gambling groups
A recent change to raffle regulations means local charities can sell chances for up to $2 million in prizes as a way to finance their causes. But some say the maximum prize value increase – up from $1 million – is a major expansion in gambling, the regulations for which tend to bend for those…
Arsenic, lots of it, found around CWLP%u2008ash ponds
Groundwater surrounding City Water, Light and Power’s coal ash ponds, located across the street from Lake Springfield, contains as much as nine times the amount of arsenic considered safe in drinking water, according to environmental testing performed in spring of 2010. Arsenic is a semi-metal that’s been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs and…
Stuck in Carlinville with the Springfield blues again
“Commuter.” A lot of Downstaters hear that word and think of a driver trapped during an afternoon rush in August on Chicago’s westbound Ike, which – and I know what I’m talking about here – is enough like hell that even an old sinner will repent by the time he gets to Austin Avenue. Yet…
Avoiding the wrong lesson about Fukushima
The reactor disaster in Fukushima is so fresh in our memories that it may seem incomprehensible to think that the history of that tragic (and still unfolding) event in Japan could ever be rewritten and distorted. But history tells us that the nuclear power industry is very adept at revising the facts about every major…
Governor Supercuts for president?
GOP-land is all a twitter, now that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has announced that he’s ready to ascend to the White House. His candidacy was actually launched at a Prayer-A-Palooza in Houston the week before he formally announced. While only about 30,000 evangelicals and Republican faithful showed up at the 72,000-seat football stadium rented for…
Would‘unveto fix regional supts. mess?
Way back in 1981, Gov. Jim Thompson got into a fight with the Illinois General Assembly over who should fund the salaries of county state’s attorneys. By law, Illinois was on the hook for two-thirds of those salaries. Thompson originally proposed paying all of the state’s share, then decided that locals should pick up the…
Doctors charged with bilking Medicaid and Blue Cross
It didn’t take an FBI investigation for dieters to suspect that something might be amiss with Dr. Gautam Gupta. “He is an actual MD, but in all honesty seems to be a pill dispenser,” wrote a patient who goes by the name Joolz on phentermine.com, a website devoted to users of an appetite suppressant. “The…
Keeping tabs on sex offenders
Casey Carpenter is a sex offender’s Santa Claus. More than 260 registered sex offenders tracked by Carpenter have been naughty in the past. It’s her job to make sure that they remain nice, or, at least, where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. And so Carpenter, an administrative clerk at the…
2011 Fall Calendar
A guide to the fall guide After the long, hot summer we’ve endured, we suspect everyone is ready for our annual Fall Guide and the chance to get outside in what many would say is by far the best season here in central Illinois. Each year for the last 25 or so we’ve compiled the…
The trials and tribulations of judging barbeque
It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. Not long after I began writing this column in 2006, I realized that the job came with a few perks. There were invitations to food writers’ dinners in some of Chicago’s best restaurants. Cookbooks began arriving in my mailbox. Some weren’t that great but, hey,…
Conan delivers bloody fun
Vicious, violent and vividly realized, director Marcus Nispel’s Conan the Barbarian is the film fans of Robert E. Howard’s pulp hero have been waiting for. Far better than John Milius’ sullen, and sometimes plodding take on the tale from 1982, this version is brutal, bloody and relentless, an attitude that mirrors its title character. The…
Growing jazz in Greater Springfield
Jazz music, considered an original American art form by most scholars of the arts, has a strong and vibrant history within our music scene. More than a few capital city natives made good in the genre as bandleaders and musicians beyond our borders. Many more remained in town as educators and performers, making alternate livings…
Gospel music
Gordon Productions brings another fine musical comedy to the Hoogland Center for the Arts for six performances. Set in a North Carolina church in 1938, the Sanders Family Singers will have you clapping, singing, laughing and cheering with their stories and traditional and bluegrass gospel music. Local talent includes: Tara Cowan, Kelsi Frost, Sherry Frachey,…
Fired up
The town of Lincoln gets fired up with color the weekend of Aug. 26-28. Join the art of hot air ballooning with launches, glows, demos and tethered balloon rides, all at the Logan County Airport. There’s also a carnival, beer and wine garden, entertainment and food court. Downtown get stoked about fine art at an…
Star struck
Lincoln Memorial Garden welcomes Dr. John Martin from the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Astronomy and Physics program who will talk about the amazing objects that can be seen overhead at night. Then Sangamon Astronomical Society members will share views of the night sky through their telescopes. All ages can register for this free program…
Fun at central Illinois fall festivals
As the hot summer days are slowly replaced by brisk winds and bursts of colorful leaves, the Springfield area has a wide array of festivals that will allow you to enjoy the beautiful season of autumn. Art Rees Carillon’s annual Art Spectacular showcases up to 50 juried fine arts and crafts artists, musicians, food vendors,…
ELIZABETH ECKERT
What do “American Idol” and central Illinois music programs have in common? Springfield singer-songwriter Elizabeth Eckert, who is an American Idol Hollywood round finalist from season seven, will perform her Midwestern music, assisting area school music programs along the way. Eckert will perform in Springfield at Samuel Music Co., a full-service retail music company. The…
My barbeque sauce
Barbeque experts and aficionados agree: It’s all about the meat. Drenching barbequed meats in sauce either keeps you from appreciating the exquisite artistry and scientific knowledge that went into its preparation – or masks an inferior product. In fact, some eschew sauce altogether. That said, good barbeque sauces used judiciously can enhance without overwhelming. Here’s…
The Blues Expressions
Four years ago Adrian Muex knew he wanted to start a blues band. His previous live music experience entailed mostly church performances as a choir director and gospel singer influenced and inspired by his father, Alfred Muex, and other members of his musical family, so deciding on a band name and blues style was a…
Fall is for meandering on the Spoon River Drive
In the dead of winter we hope for summer, in the summer heat and humidity we long for snow, but fall is perfect and everyone just wishes it would linger. To fully experience the beauty of fall, load up and meander along the Spoon River Drive. Check out the food, festivals and cultural icons and,…
Skydivers know how to have a great fall
When Brian and Tracey Meade’s air conditioner went out, club members showed up with two window units. The club is the Mid-America Sport Parachute Club, based out of the Taylorville airport. “It’s like a family,” Tracey said. “Everybody helps everybody.” The laid-back family atmosphere makes this the best drop zone in central Illinois. According to…
Take a walk on the spooky side of life
No one currently working in the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office smokes a pipe. So, what could possibly explain the aroma of pipe tobacco that employees at the historic site claim to notice from time to time? Is the aroma embedded in the walls and woodwork? Or is it the ghost of Abraham Lincoln’s long deceased law…
Autumn is showtime
Fall is a great time of year, and there’s always an interesting list of theater productions in the area. Take a look at what’s happening here this fall. Theatre in the Park at New Salem has two more performances of Kari Catton’s play Healin’ Home this weekend, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. The play…
A fall full of music
Rock, pop, Christian and jazz are among the musical offerings in central Illinois this fall. There’s something for everybody, so plan ahead, then get out and enjoy the music. Sangamon Auditorium Sept. 14, 8 p.m. Gordon Lightfoot Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, known for his folk finesse, will perform at Sangamon Auditorium. Tickets are on sale…
