TWO BLUE
Apparently, we had a pair of angels and didn’t even know it. Remember former Springfield Police Chief John Harris, whose resignation in 2003 had nothing whatsoever to do with the Renatta Frazier scandal? Subsequently sued by Frazier, and the Black Guardians Association, he was never found liable in either case. Now his wife, Barbara Harris,…
Letters to the Editor
Demand public access Thanks for raising some awareness of channel 4 and access programming in general with your cover article this week [See “Fringe voices: The fading promise of public access TV,” Dec. 11]. People may wonder what’s the loss if they and PEG channels are banished to channel 99 or fade away entirely. It…
Restricting transfers could improve schools
The event was advertised as a “policy breakfast,” but the Citizens Club of Springfield didn’t provide sweet rolls or donuts, much less any sizzling pork. The only refreshment offered was hot coffee, which seemed appropriate given the sobering nature of the program — the achievement gap between black and white students in Springfield public schools.…
People’s Poetry
adventspiral poem #1 almost too heartbreakinglybeautiful for words the roomtransformed to a dark pine foresta candle in the midst the childrenone by one entering the spaceeach alone walking the spiralcarrying a candle lighting itrewalking the path kneelingplacing it along the spiral’s edgeone by one slowly each solemn young face lit by the soft lighta harp’s…
Cook by the book
Give the giftof delicious desserts, mouth-watering meats and bountiful breads. Skip the extra calories with new award-winning vegetarian and diet cookbooks. Or simply learn how to perfect your favorite sumptuous indulgence. Test them out when you’re cooped up on a cold winter day – they won’t disappoint. These tasty tomes were the James Beard Foundation…
A ILLINOIS STATE OF MIND
Confucius says, “Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.” Similarly, David Banner says, “Stuntin’ is a habit; get like me.” In either case — be it ordering the same lunch of Moo Shoo chicken everyday or dialing past the first seven songs on Banner’s Mississippi: The Album just to hear “Cadillac…
Lighting up Hanukkah delicacies
Hanukkah. It’s also known as the Festival of Lights. There are more important holidays in Judaism — Passover, for example. But Hanukkah has its own special place in the Jewish year, its own special significance and its own special memories and family traditions. Hanukkah, which means “dedication,” celebrates an historical event — a miraculous one.…
Illinois in running to host nuclear waste reprocessing facility
Illinois could become more radioactive than a Rod Blagojevich Senate appointee under a little-talked-about Bush administration energy initiative to create the next generation of nuclear power plants. Already home to more nuclear facilities than any other state in the nation, Illinois is one of 11 states in the running to host a national spent fuel…
IT Picks
Concert | Holiday magic When The Roxy Group decided to put on a holiday show they wanted to give Springfield an unforgettable experience of Christmas splendor and joy. The result is “Christmas Wishes,” a musical revue of American carols and tap dancing that is sure to entertain crowds. Hard work went into building beautiful scenery…
Don’t close library branches
Today we hear that 1.55 million jobs in the U.S. were lost during the last six months, and 3,000 jobs were lost within Sangamon County during the last five years. People have been hit hard and income is shrinking or gone. We need a haven that provides us with support — for entertainment, research, job…
The Damwell Betters are coming in hot
I suppose you want to know what this headline means, as in, what is a Damwell Better and why are they coming in hot? It’s a perfectly acceptable question and one we’ll address in the words ahead. First off, the Damwell Betters are a real-live, all-original rock band from Springfield, Ill., who, interestingly enough, also…
The governor’s okeedokee aides
I spent a few hours last week re-reading the federal criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich and chief of staff John Harris. As I did, one image kept coming to mind over and over again: Howard Hughes. Hughes, of course, was the kabillionaire whose aides allowed him to die an emaciated, bedsore-ridden mess. Instead of…
Hyundai asks car crew to increase fuel efficiency fast
Kevin Smith and the crew from Illuminati Motorworks took a detour in their quest for the Progressive Automotive X Prize (AXP), but, as Smith says, “It was an offer we couldn’t refuse.” With Smith at the helm, the local team of engineers, automotive technicians and car enthusiasts began working in August 2007 to design a…
GEL GEMS
Japanese and British decorators delight over GelGems, but if you’re into “squishy, sticky artworks that are irresistibly fun to decorate with,” then there’s no need to go that far. Sangamon County board chairman Andy Van Meter created GelGems — colorful hearts, flowers, fish, and right now snowflakes, stars and other holiday shapes, that stick to…
Lawsuit opens up more housing options
At first Catherine Dennis seems like any other mother. Every day the Auburn native wakes up, gets her son ready and heads to Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services in Springfield, where she works as a resident nurse. The somewhat considerable difference for Dennis is that her son, Justin, a 30-year-old who has autism, goes with…
Save the day
Good versus evil doesn’t always play out in a stylized drama with dramatic lighting and inventive camera angles. Sometimes the battle is simpler – and more fun. Movies based on comics, graphic novels and the lives of fantastic heroes have bombarded the box office with bodacious battles and eye-popping visuals. They’ve got children and adults…
Holiday cacti brighten up your gloomy winter
A holiday cactus in full bloom is a great holiday gift. This easy-to-care-for plant generally lives a long life and will easily bloom year after year. In fact I often hear about holiday cacti being passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. When selecting a new plant, look for sturdy, healthy green…
Southern View police pick up female fugitive
As chief of police in the village of Southern View, Kurt Taraba sometimes has to get creative to track down a wanted person. Take, for example, a certain 60-year-old black female who had a reputation for causing trouble in the city of Springfield. Taraba bumped into her at the Dollar General store and again at…
Congress coddles bankers while bashing union autoworkers
Sen. Bob Corker is … well, a real corker. The Tennessee Republican is on the Senate banking committee that’s overseeing the bailout of America’s Big Three automakers, and, by gollies, he got his dander up when the three CEOs told the committee that they needed a $34 billion loan to survive. No way, popped the…
Governor in waiting
Patrick Joseph Quinn’s world was turned on its head on the morning of Dec. 9, 2008. Ever the outsider, Quinn has positioned himself as a populist, taking up the causes of regular folks. Self-righteous, street smart, tireless and a skilled organizer with a knack for bluntness, Quinn has been a stone in the shoe of…
No, it’s not like this everywhere
I should’ve known there was something sick about this state. After all, this is Illinois; it isn’t Wellinois. Ever since I moved here, two phrases have grated on my ears like fingernails on a chalkboard. One is, “But that’s the way we’ve always done it.” The other is its kissing cousin, “Anyway, it’s like that…
Say Yes to Carrey’s latest
In the tradition of Groundhog Day and Stranger than Fiction, Jim Carrey’s Yes Man finds poor Carl Allen stuck in a mundane existence he’s unwilling to change. Still smarting from his failed marriage, there isn’t an opportunity this sad sack won’t turn down. His fear of commitment, no matter how small, allows him to stay…
