Fake issue
In this week’s column I wondered out loud about the question of the day: If the federales succeed in banishing all undocumented immigrants from Illinois, would that be a good thing or a bad thing? Much evidence suggests it would be a bad thing, on balance, but there is much more that can and ought…
Well Done “Collide,” a Guilty Pleasure
It was with a sense of giddiness that I entered a local theater to see Eran Creevy’s Collide. I love it when great actors go slumming and this low-concept chase film has two of them – Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley. I anticipated a great deal of ham to be sliced between these two…
Dodge-bashing downtown
Oh, are we going to have us some fun. Public party space being planned in the form of a new Bicentennial Plaza between Fifth and Sixth Streets at Jackson and a park on the Y block across the street. Mayor Langfelder noted, presumably approvingly, “With that block tied into the plaza, you could have thousands…
It’s time to put food policy back on the table
Remember last year’s presidential debates? Trump and Clinton talked about the needs of hard-hit working-class families, veterans and coal miners among others. But, hellloooo, where were farmers? All went unmentioned, even though economic and emotional depression is spreading through their communities, thanks to bankruptcy-level prices paid by corporate middlemen. In the past three years, farm…
Charlie Brown’s football
Before Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget address last week, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno made a rare visit to the Senate Democratic caucus meeting. Radogno assured the Democrats that she and her GOP caucus were working in good faith to achieve a bipartisan “grand bargain” in the chamber. Senate Democrats have been grumbling for weeks that…
Letters 2/23/17
SUPPORT CIVIC ORCHESTRA On Saturday, Feb. 11, my wife and I attended the Sangamon Valley Civic Orchestra concert at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. As a longtime observer and participant in the central Illinois music scene, I can say with certainty that this group has achieved a rightful place as a creative outlet for…
Editors Note 2/23/17
When headlines warn “Millions face possible deportation,” Springfield should heed the warning. Although this is not a haven for the undocumented, as major cities and border towns may be, new rules under consideration by the Trump administration could find victims in families here, besides causing fear among immigrant families. Local police may be asked to…
What’s wrong with the world going right?
Nationalism is returning to a world badly in need of internationalism. An increasing number of countries are moving sharply to the political right, endorsing nationalism, while the public and global goods of our world such as the fish in the ocean and our environment and climate have no international shepherds to watch over them. More…
Teenagers recite poetry
In 2005 the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation established the Poetry Out Loud contest, which utilizes poetry as a vehicle to test teenage students on their oration and interpretation skills. The contest, open to high school students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto…
Sample Illinois wine
Discover a wide variety of Illinois wines in one relaxed setting on Friday, Feb. 24, from 7-10 p.m. This annual festival is combined with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association’s annual education conference, thus affording festival attendees the opportunity to sample made-in-Illinois wine alongside Illinois producers and growers. For the best value ($20 admission,…
Become storm savvy
On Monday, Feb. 27, the National Weather Service will offer a free “Severe Weather Storm Spotting” course in the student union on the lower level of Menard Hall at Lincoln Land Community College. Led by Ed Shimon, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln, the two-hour course is open to the public and…
Stare Trek
The 40-year-old guy I’m dating swivels his head to check out ladies everywhere. He even comments on those he finds attractive. I’ve mentioned that it bugs me. He contends that it’s my insecurities that are really the issue here. I can see how lower self-esteem might lend itself to an offended reaction, as opposed to…
Thinking outside the stereotype
On Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 6 and 7, at Erin’s Pavilion, Springfield Public School District 186 held a series of unprecedented sessions addressing the subject of “cultural relevance,” popularized by educator Gloria J. Ladson-Billings. Focusing on cultural relevance is thought to enable student success by acknowledging that learning does not happen in a vacuum but…
Parade power
Perhaps If You Saw One is a picture book of whimsical parade floats and enthusiastic participants. Published by Springfield’s Coalition of Rainbow Alliances, the book amounts to an informal history of activities of the gay and lesbian community over the past 13 years. Each photo layout is accompanied by a paragraph explaining the joys and…
Rauner proposes more for schools, but no new formula
Under Gov. Bruce Rauner’s new budget, pre-k through 12 education would receive a funding increase over last year, but using the current school funding formula. Rauner’s budget proposal includes a $250 million increase for elementary education, with $50 million going to early childhood and a $30 million increase toward general state aid. Rauner also proposed…
UIS police find no trafficking
An investigation into the reported rape of a University of Illinois Springfield student by a student adviser morphed into a probe into suspicions of human trafficking, according to UIS police reports. University police looked into an allegation that Chinese citizens may have been trafficked to UIS for financial gain but found nothing nefarious, according to…
Polar opposites respond to Rauner budget
The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC) condemned Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget address, claiming the speech was undemocratic. Meanwhile, the Illinois Policy Institute noted Rauner is holding his ground against proposed tax increases. Immediately after Rauner’s proposal on Feb. 15, the ILBC held a press conference at the Capitol. “This is a theoretical budget address based…
Drizzling but not pouring
Rejecting Mayor Jim Langfelder’s calls for tax increases, the Springfield City Council on Tuesday voted to dip into reserves to plug holes in a city budget battered by sagging tax revenue. The 8-2 vote came four days after the mayor sent an email to aldermen, warning that the city library would close on Sundays, the…
STAR-STUDDED FAIR LINEUP
A star-studded lineup is ready to take the Illinois State Fair by storm. Chase Rice, Alabama, Jason Derulo, Finger Death Punch and John Mellencamp were recently announced as the first five headlining acts for the 2017 Illinois State Fair. Rice is the first headliner, scheduled to take the Grandstand stage on Friday, Aug. 11. Rice…
HIP-HOP DISSERTATION
Decatur native and current Clemson University (South Carolina) Ph. D. candidate A. D. Carson will defend his dissertation on Friday, Feb. 24. “Owning my masters: rhetoric of rhyme and revolution” is no typical academic paper. In fact, it’s a 34-song rap album written, produced and performed by Carson and has already gone viral, boasting more…
TORA! TORA! TORA!
The private equity firm that manages the parent company of the State Journal-Register is being sold to SoftBank, a telecommunications and internet company founded and headed by a Japanese billionaire whom Forbes last year reported was among the world’s 100 richest people. The sale of Fortress Investment Group for $3.3 billion in cash – $1…
Long trudge dooms Fight
“I had a thought as I was being dragged down the stairs by that horse on meth.” The circumstances surrounding the way in which the above piece of dialogue was delivered had me laughing much harder than I have in quite some time. However, the single witty turn of an odd phrase does not a…
Friday February fun
Sometimes the stars align and everything happens at once. Without a doubt, that day is Friday, Feb. 24. Not to say that more wonderful and terrific music doesn’t happen on other days, because we all know that it will, but Friday is a music magnet. I hardly know where to start, so I will start…
Rockin’ Johnny Burgin
A man on the move, Rockin’ Johnny has really been rocking in the past year. He relocated to California from Chicago, toured mainland Europe between Halloween and Christmas, promoted a CD, recorded another CD, gigged nearly every night, and now he’s showed up on our doorstep to take the Springfield area by storm while doing…
first 100 days poem #2
first 100 days poem #2 parents, teachers, be advised –when we confront them our savvy kids can now tell us oh those are just alternate facts you’ve heard about us © 2017 Jacqueline Jackson
What do you do with leftover wine?
Back in the late 1970s my wife and I used to go out for a steak dinner to a tavern in Virden called Rockenbachs. We were newbie wine connoisseurs at the time and enjoyed drinking Lambrusco, a semisweet sparkling red wine, reminiscent of Sparkling Burgundy. Rockenbachs had few bottles of Lambrusco in the beer cooler.…
