Passable “Ferdinand” a Sweet, Timely Fable
Used as a metaphor in The Blind Side and originally seen as a piece of political propaganda, Munro Leaf’s The Story of Ferdinand has been a staple of children’s libraries since the 1940’s, selling on average 6,000 copies a week since its publication in 1936. The titular bovine would much rather spend his time smelling…
Veteran Cast Saves Jumanji Redux
Reboot, remake, homage, rip-off, call them what you will, films that recycle old ideas have been with us since the early days of cinema. If it’s successful once on the silver screen, studio execs are libel to keep going back to that particular well until it runs dry. We’re in the period now of what…
Mencken sees the future
For no particular reason, and for every reason in the world, I thought I’d share with you something H. L. Mencken wrote almost a century that could have been–should have been — written yesterday. As democracy is perfected, the office [of the Presidency] represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We…
The Hay house
I’m working on a column about the life of Springfield attorney and public citizen Logan Hay. Most of today’s Springfieldians who have heard of Logan Hay know him because his name was attached to his nobly proportioned house at South Grand Avenue. More imposing than graceful, the house was a bit of Monticello Hay had…
Grave matters
Cemeteries are not only places to park dead uncles while they await their maker. They also are, or were, parks, picnic grounds, trysting places, settings for patriotic rituals and party venues for teens happy to find one place where their elders didn’t shout at them to quiet down. But cemeteries also can be classrooms.Any person…
Why net neutrality is an important democratic virtue
We’re told by politicos, pundits and internet providers themselves that access to the net is crucial to our educational achievement, future prosperity and ability to be self-governing. Yet while this digital highway is deemed vital to our nation’s well-being, access to it is not offered as a public service – i.e., an investment in the…
Mike Z returns
If you were worried that House Republican Leader Jim Durkin wasn’t taking his primary race seriously enough, think again. As you may already know, Leader Durkin is being challenged by Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub, who has backing from conservative activist Dan Proft and Operating Engineers Union Local 150. It’s a bizarre duo teaming up…
Letters to the Editor 12/14/17
GROWING UP IN JACKSONVILLE Thanks to David Blanchette for an excellent article on Jacksonville (“Jacksonville has a lot going on”) in the Dec. 7 edition of Illinois Times. I was privileged to be raised in Jacksonville from kindergarten through high school and Illinois College. It was simply a great place to grow up in the…
Winter concert
Don’t miss Collegiate Choir, the vocal ensemble of Illinois Wesleyan University, performing at Blessed Sacrament Church, Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The concert is one of five appearances that the choir, under the direction of Dr. J. Scott Ferguson, will make on their 2017 winter tour, which features a blend of music from the…
All aboard the Polar Express
Don your pajamas, slippers and housecoats and make the short trip to Mason City’s historic Arlee Theater to experience the magic of the Polar Express. During this event, attendees will enjoy cookies and cocoa during a viewing of the 2004 computer-animated fantasy film The Polar Express, based off the 1985 Chris Van Allsburg book by…
Baseball in December
On Saturday, Dec. 16, baseball fans of all ages can enjoy an afternoon of baseball-themed crafts, a tour of the ongoing “Cubs vs. Cardinals: The Rivalry” exhibition, and a chance to mingle with the Cardinals and Cubs mascots during the Abraham Presidential Library and Museum’s Mascot Day. The “Cubs vs. Cardinals: The Rivalry” exhibition, developed…
Med school is a cut above
Founded in Springfield in 1970, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine has seen 2,818 students graduate (with 42 percent of those currently practicing medicine doing so in Illinois). That same year, the medical school – part of the overall Southern Illinois University system, with campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville – began partnering with the former…
Sharing the love of reading
Tiffany Roe and Litina Carnes looked at their collection of books that had outgrown their houses and started brainstorming ways to share their love of books. “We didn’t just want to donate them and have them resold. So we said, let’s find a way to give them to ones in need,” Tiffany explains. Litina adds,…
Nose to the groin stone
I’m a woman, and I recently made a new professional connection — a man who’s excited about my work. We’re planning on doing a big, important project together. I’m worried that he’s interested in me romantically (based on a few things he’s said). I’m not interested in him in that way. What’s the right thing…
Centennial of shame
One hundred years ago, East St. Louis surpassed Springfield for the most ignoble reason – it had race riots worse than the Springfield riots of 1908. Springfield’s riots became known for helping establish the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. East St. Louis’ 1917 riots became known for their deaths and brutality. Prior…
Healthy holiday gifts
The holiday season brings many celebrations and traditions to enjoy, including gift-giving. Caitlin Huth, a University of Illinois Extension educator and registered dietitian, shares five healthy holiday food gifts this season. Gift jars. “Instead of cookie and brownie mixes in jars, try healthier mixes as gifts this year. Noodle soup mix with whole-grain noodles and…
A broken records unit
Remember Candace Wanzo? She’s the secretary of state employee who was escorted from her office last May and remains both under investigation and on the payroll at the rate of $7,278 per month while she sits at home. It’s not clear what prompted Wanzo to be sent home on paid leave last spring, but the…
Keeping an eye on cops
Lost in a brouhaha over recording equipment that can’t be turned off in Springfield police interview rooms is a fairly basic question. What advantage is there to having a recording system that can be switched off? That police cannot turn off recording gear installed in interview rooms 10 months ago would seem to discourage officers…
INDEPENDENT?
The Springfield police union is crying foul over the way the city handled the discovery that police interview rooms have been under constant electronic surveillance. The union says that recordings contributed to a no-confidence vote in Chief Kenny Winslow taken one day after union attorney Ron Stone sent a letter to the chief raising concerns,…
Familiarity, pace trips up Jedi
One of the things I feared would happen when Disney acquired the rights to the Star Wars universe and announced an ambitious slate of movies that would take us to that galaxy far, far away on an annual basis would be that what was once special would become all too familiar. There was a three-year…
Music for goodness sake
As we approach the point of saturation and consternation of the Christmas excess surrounding and encompassing our lives at this time, perhaps it’s best to succumb to the magic of the moment, if not with glee, then at least with tolerance and acceptance, relying on the fact as stated in a famous holiday song that…
The Meerkat Mobsters
When the pumped up, high-rockin, rockabilly trio The Meerkat Mobsters, featuring Springfield resident Mark Mills (guitar, vocals), Ray Biagioni (drums) from Oglesby and Rick Topolski (stand-up bassist) from Streator, hits town for a show in support of Toys for Tots, expect a wild ride from this blistering rock ‘n’ roll band. Mark released an excellent…
Start a new tradition
Most of the foods that show up every year on my family’s holiday table have origins in the culinary practices of our past generations. Our holiday table has never been a forum for innovation; it has always been a showcase for our family traditions. We always have Nana’s creamed spinach. We always have mashed potatoes…
nevad trip #2
nevada trip #2 went to see my great grandsons over from paris they’re being raised bilingual laurent talks to them in french cressida in english but since the parents speak french to each other the kids are basically gallic I tooka batch of books with easy tales “caps for sale” “millions of cats”for more english…
