A pair of songbirds
The second 2009 presentation of the WUIS-sponsored concert series, Bedrock 66 Live! could hardly be more opposite than the first. Sarah Borges rocked the Hoogland in January, with reports of delightfully raucous behavior demonstrated by the rowdy fans enjoying the rock-influenced, pop sounds of the Boston-based singer-songwriter. At this month’s performance expect intensely quiet sounds…
A new musical spotlights those who knew Lincoln
In the second act of Ken Bradbury’s The Spirit of Lincoln, musician Barry Cloyd, who serves as the show’s narrator, says that over 16,000 books have been written about our nation’s 16th president. When the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission asked Ken Bradbury to write a Lincoln play, Bradbury, who had already produced five Lincoln shows, wanted…
Cooking for man’s (or your) best friend
My house is a disaster zone these days. The floor is awash with litter. Bits of fuzz, small objects both hard and soft, torn paper and unidentifiable flotsam are everywhere. There’s a shredded toilet paper tube in one corner. At least that’s better than the one not long ago that still had paper on it.…
Trash talk
Tom, before you read my response to your e-mail, I want you to keep in mind that I am not a fan of the Democratic Party or especially of the Republican Party; I hold both in contempt for the sorry state of affairs that our country finds itself in. But since I received this e-mail,…
Caring for Creation
Last October, Sr. Sharon Zayac, the director of Jubilee Farm and a local environmental advocate, was chosen to represent the Dominican Sisters of Springfield at The Climate Project’s first-ever faith community training session in Nashville. TCP, a nonprofit organization founded by former Vice President Al Gore to increase awareness of the climate crisis, has trained…
Search for Springfield roots
A different kind of Lincoln bicentennial celebration is being held in Springfield, starting March 7. It encourages everyone to search their family roots and see if they reach back to Springfield during Lincoln’s time, or even back to the Lincolns themselves. Rudy Davenport, a member of the Springfield contingent of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, says…
Ending the culture of executive entitlement
I don’t mind losing when we lose, but I hate losing when we win. One big reason that Barack Obama now occupies the big chair in the Oval Office is that he embraced the public’s rising indignation at the blatant greed of Wall Street bankers, striking the proper populist tone in last year’s presidential election.…
IT Picks
THEATER | Overnight millionaire Most of us dream of winning the lottery without thought to what challenges might come with big money. Kismet means fate or destiny. In this musical based on the Arabian Nights, Hadji, an old Baghdad poet, faces his destiny when he transforms from beggar to millionaire overnight. This windfall sparks his…
People’s Poetry
foodthugs poem #3 this is a notice sent the contra dance group which my daughter #3 attends: ”Our Sweetie Pie Dance will be at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada at 813 Carson St. Contrary to our original invitation, we are NOT having a pie and ice cream social at the dance. The health department…
The economic argument for legalization
Marijuana could help Illinois out of its budget mess. Advocates have long supported reforming current state and federal prohibitions against growing, trading and consuming marijuana. But existing evidence of the economic benefits of legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana is even more compelling, particularly in today’s trying times. Illinois’ budget gap could be $9 billion by…
Madea: A Jekyll and Hyde affair for Tyler Perry fans
Filmmaker Tyler Perry has a tried and true formula he uses in all of his films and it’s been successful enough for him to build his own movie mini-empire. With soundstages in Atlanta and the full cooperation of the city behind him, the writer/director has cultivated a sizable and faithful audience that flock to his…
Someone tell Mike Madigan the war is over
The nasty and brutish Statehouse war is officially over for everyone but House Speaker Michael Madigan. The House Republicans made a big stink last week. It was totally expected. They were upset with House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie’s explanation for why she did not immediately inform the House impeachment committee that U.S. Sen. Roland…
Medical marijuana
Dennis nearly lost the lower portion of his right leg when the trencher he was working with unexpectedly hit a metal beam in the ground, causing the blade to jump up, catching the bridge of his foot and slicing his leg all the way up to the knee. In the five-and-a-half years since his accident,…
United Way changes where charity dollars go
For most worker bees, the annual on-the-job charity drive means a chance to make a painless payroll-deduction pledge to a worthy cause and then celebrate with a pizza party in the company cafeteria. Most workers don’t stop to read the fine print or fret about what happens to their donations. After all, a good cause…
Advisory council aims to make Springfield bicycle-friendly
David Sykuta and his wife, Marcia, have ridden their bright yellow tandem recumbent bicycle all across the Midwest. They’re not speed riders, he says — they just enjoy riding and exploring the beauty and charm of smaller towns. After several trips through Alton/Wood River and Edwardsville, two Metro-east Illinois areas that Sykuta says have expansive…
Letters to the editor
Don’t forget the arts As Congress considers spending to stimulate the economic recovery, the arts and culture sector must be included. The arts are essential to the health and vitality of our communities. They enhance community development, spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw tourism dollars and create an environment that attracts skilled, educated workers…
A peace activist’s concern about Obama’s war
Finally, the change we’ve all been waiting for; the light at the end of the tunnel. Now we can sit back and relax, right? Well, at this moment, pundits vie for the cleverest visuals to mock the size of the economic stimulus package just signed into law. Naysayers are saying “Nay!” President Barack Obama has…
People’s Poetry
winterpoem #5 our children remind us of storieswe never should have forgottenhow could I have left a small childin front of city day school in thebitter double digit wind chill notchecking that she got inside howwhen she found the doors lockedshe stumbled the several blocks tothe hillistad house by the park itwasn’t her neighborhood shelteringoften…
