Smooth operator
At first glance, it may seem puzzling that last week’s list of federal indictments included the powerful lobbying firm of Ronan Potts, but not Al Ronan, the guy who runs the firm. Ronan’s attorney has all but admitted that Ronan is “Fawell Associate 1,” who was repeatedly referred to in the indictments of former George…
Unexcused absence
There was a place on the dais reserved for Mayor Tim Davlin when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held their annual Lincoln-Douglass banquet last week. They had every reason to expect him to attend: Not only had he given his verbal commitment as early as December, but also he had the…
Knoepfle 2-19-04
one cents worth imagine our president profiledon a penny can you © John Knoepfle 2004
Bring on the bread
At McCormick’s Deli, it’s all about the bread. Baked daily, it’s the foundation on which a variety of meat, cheese and condiments are added. And as we all know, it’s the secret to a good sandwich. Bread makes McCormick’s stand out from the crop of sandwich shops, not the atmosphere or service. Located in a…
People’s Poetry
The Old Man Whenever I want my dead father near I play old wartime tunes, I’ll Get By and Paper Doll,Artistry In Rhythm, Benny Goodman’s Memories Of You. He listens all alone, with cold beer and radio by candlelight, filterless Camels, the Old Man observes the wax dripping down the Michelob bottle in stalagmites of…
Anchor away
For most of his career, Don Hickman was someone Springfield listened to and watched. Now the veteran broadcaster listens and watches — and he’s deeply troubled about the business he left behind. A longtime WICS anchor who left the small screen three years ago, Hickman is uneasy about the growing domination of a few big…
Quick takes
SOMEONE’S WATCHING Dayton Loyd, a 38-year-old Army intel officer in Springfield, took his children to see Shrek and was appalled by its “profane innuendos.” He went on to investigate television and came across Los Angeles-based Parents Television Council. PTC claims a membership base of 850,000 parents who wage war against all things bad on TV.…
A fast-fingered hotshot, but classy to the core
When Johan Fostier performs Friday in Springfield, the young Belgian will be filling in for scheduled artist Dimitri Illarinov, a Russian who found himself waylaid by an immigration glitch this year. Imprecise wording on Illarinov’s passport, it seems, stopped the performer “in his treks.” “Dimitri’s papers didn’t state he was coming to the U.S. to…
Letters 2-19-04
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com MEMORY LANE Friends of mine in Springfield sent me the article about…
Movie Reviews
Mooseport skewers the conventions of politics and media Mooseport is an out-of-the-way burg in Maine that’s besieged by the media when former president Monroe “Eagle” Cole (the unflappable Gene Hackman) decides to retire there. Content to reap millions from a lecture tour, he’s sucked back into public life when given the opportunity to run for…
Grace about town 2-19-04
My dad and brother David have an antique shop, Ruby Sled Antiques. Dad started it because Mom told him if he didn’t do something with all the stuff he’d collected over the years, she’d move out. Sometimes great things come out of having your back against the wall. Even though Dad has merchandise at the…
Aldermania
Covering City Council for a weekly newspaper is a task that comes with its own set of quirks. Obviously, the fact that most council meetings happen on Tuesday and our paper doesn’t hit the street until Thursday means the daily media will always have the newsy-news first. That’s the downside. The upside is that this…
Now playing 2-19-04
Take a deep breath. Let’s dive deep to find the hidden treasures beneath the still waters of the capital city’s nightlife. Can you hope for a better way to start your weekend than a visit to Robbie’s and a listen to the swingin’ strains of Dick Garretson’s Little Big Band? I think not. Garretson’s name…
Backstage Pass
Auditions for Noel Coward’s classic 1925 comedy Hay Fevertake place on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22-23, at the UIS Studio Theatre from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Callbacks are on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The show, about an eccentric family of British actors, will be directed by Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson, and is scheduled to run April 9-10…
The school for wives
In the days before television talk shows, cooking shows and HGTV — indeed, in the days before television itself — the American woman, who was almost always a housewife, had a limited network of resources upon which to call when she sought information so vital to her occupation: the business of cooking, cleaning, and household…
