Our second city
Way back in 2014, when the sun still shone on America, I did a column titled New York, New York in which I ventured an opinion or two about why New York City draws to it the best and the brightest young people, or at least the most energetic and ambitious, from around the country, including Springfield.…
Zone defense
Organizers with the City of Springfield and the Springfield Regional Planning Commission held what amounted to an informal design charette the other day. Citizens were invited to imagine a future Springfield as part of the process of devising a new 20-year land use plan for the capital. My eye was caught by remarks made to…
Why in the world would Trump tap Perry to be energy secretary?
Perk up, people – for I bring you tidings of great joy: Gov. “Oops” is back! Yes, Rick Perry, the former Texas governor who specialized in putting the “goober” in gubernatorial, is being brought back from well-earned obscurity in rural Texas to join the menagerie of characters in “The Donald Show.” Who can forget Perry’s…
Expect nastiness long before 2018
“This will be the most expensive race of our lifetime,” a Republican friend assured me last week about the apparently already begun 2018 gubernatorial campaign. If Democratic billionaire J.B. Pritzker pulls the trigger and decides to run, we can expect that significant campaign spending could begin as early as next month – on both sides.…
Letters to the Editor 12/22/16
UNFULFILLED PROMISESThis is a response to Mark Erickson’s Dec. 15 letter (“Why Trump won”) and to give a different perspective. Trump won the Electoral College due to a growing dissatisfaction with corrupt politics that don’t work for everyone. However, he was a corporatist posing to be a populist. Now that he has won, he…
Editor’s note 12/22/16
We received this message in a holiday greeting card from a friend and decided to pass it along to readers. Following this instruction could lead to peace in Springfield, goodwill to the poor and universities – Fletcher Farrar, editor and publisher Happy HolidaysGet Serious about the Budget RejectAnti-UnionNonsense.Exorcize theRight-wing demons.
Why Italy matters to you
The Italians vote their leader out and this affects all of us. Prime Minister Renzi in Italy recently resigned as promised after losing a plebiscite on whether or not to amend the Constitution so Italy could move forward. His proposal was designed to shore up faltering banks and to start economic growth. The people said…
Illinois’ funniest mayor
Jeremy Nunes is a 15-year comedy veteran best known for his clever observations, unique storytelling style, and ability to improvise with audience members. Initially from Dawson, Jeremy formally launched his comedy career in Chicago when he became involved with The Second City and iO Comedy Theaters, perfecting what would come to be known as his…
A luminous stroll
You still have two chances to view the Henson Robinson Zoo decked out as a winter wonderland, as the zoo’s annual “Holiday Lights” event continues through Friday, Dec. 23, from 5-8 p.m. nightly. See hundreds of twinkling lights on display, visit with Santa Claus, create a holiday craft, finish up seasonal shopping at the zoo’s…
Rump for joy
I am a curvy girl with a big butt. I hate it. I have a small waist, and it makes my butt look even bigger. I don’t care that the Kardashians have made big butts cool. I’d like to lose weight in that area. However, my boyfriend loves my butt and told me there’s research…
Four new holiday films
A vivid, effective Monster While no one would ever mistake J.A. Bayona’s A Monster Calls as Christmas fare, love is at the core of the film. This is an at times difficult-to-watch movie that deals with a young boy trying to come to terms with his mother’s terminal cancer. Adapted from the novel by Patrick…
New Salem Christmas
December 1989 – I read in the newspapers recently where “Christmas at New Salem” weekend will be done away with. Seems that research has proven that the inhabitants of that short-lived village where Lincoln grew to manhood were not the beliefs that would cause them to consider Christmas as any kind of holiday. So in…
“The Studio Show” winds down from ambitious season
Eight months ago, Springfield-based web series “The Studio Show” – which takes a quirky and humorous look at area arts and community – was featured on the cover of IT (“Making Springfield look cool,” April 28, 2016). In the brief time since then, the series has grown into something of a fixture on the city’s…
Demonstrators support Illinois electors, decry Trump
To nobody’s great surprise, all 20 of Illinois’ electoral votes were cast for Hillary Clinton when the state’s electors convened at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19. What may have been unexpected for some was the presence of anti-Donald Trump demonstrators in the lower level of the Capitol building that morning. Chants such as “Stand…
Affleck and Williams are devastating in Manchester
Positive buzz has been growing steadily for Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea since its debut at last spring’s Sundance Film Festival, as critics and major film groups have been falling all over themselves to praise the movie and those involved in it. So, Manchester came to me with the onus of great expectations, some…
Christmas cutbacks
With Christmas falling on Sunday in 2016, as you might imagine, our weekend entertainment scheduled is crimped and cramped into mostly Thursday and Friday nights. But, hey, that’s okay, it’s Christmas Day! Who is going to argue about that? First off, let’s take some time to send congratulations and high-fives to Mary Jo Curry, whose…
Attic Salt
Emerging from the remnants of several Springfield punk-pop-rock bands comes Andy Harmon, Alyssa Currie, Fred Malcom and Cory VanMeter to become a group self-described as, “pop, dusty, indie rock, power pop, punk” for starters. Doing the holiday walk at running speed, Attic Salt doubles the fun with two shows on Friday. First comes a set…
REASON 1,236,748 TO READ NEWSPAPERS
As we brace for the liar-in-chief-elect to take office, Politico last week revealed that Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of WICS television in Springfield, struck a deal with the Trump campaign, while Hillary was still a player, that’s straight from the Darth Vader side of journalism: If you promise not to comment on anything the candidate…
The key to peaceful mornings
I’ve always been a morning person. As a child, this meant that I was left to my own devices on weekends until about 9:30, when the rest of the house would finally begin to stir. I grew up learning to cook at my mother’s elbow, but it was in these quiet early mornings that I…
My Gift
This poem was written by my mother,Vera Wardner Dougan, to my father,for their first Christmas together, 1924.I give it here again, for it is sosimple, appropriate and tender. JDJ If I could give to you one only giftTo hold forever, in remembrance of meT’would be the peace that enters in the heartWhen love comes there…
number one for stylist jobs
If you do hair, Springfield is the place for you. That’s according to a survey entitled, “These are the 10 best cities for stylists,” published last week on zippia.com, a website self-described as “a platform that gives everybody the tools to find the career that is right for them.” The list is based on figures…
