Abraham, Martin, and the little corporal
When the Abraham Lincoln Association invited Dr. Martin E. Marty to speak at their annual banquet on Feb. 12, they tied no strings to his invitation. Marty, a distinguished scholar of American religion and history at the University of Chicago, didn’t even have to mention Lincoln. But he wanted to. When, as a National Humanities…
Backstage pass
Two productions of note take place this week and next on local stages. Edward Albee’s drama Three Tall Women opens Friday at Springfield Theatre Centre, playing Feb. 6-8 and Feb. 13-15. Ed Smith directs the 1994 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which features Marian Levin, Marla Johnson, and Shirene Thomas. Three Tall Women brought Albee back in…
Now Playing 2-5-04
Are you ready for another action-packed, fun-filled, adventure-laden week in the bars and clubs of Illinois’ capital city? Well, it’s coming your way regardless of how you act, so why not open your arms and ears and embrace the inevitable with all the full-blown passion available in your heart and soul. Or just go out…
Grace about town 2-5-04
Vol. 1: Jay Leno Called Me on My Phone My original intent in going to LA wasn’t to stalk Jay Leno; it hadn’t even crossed my mind. I usually try to refrain from stalking anybody. All I wanted was 11 fun-filled days of warm weather. The highlight was to be a weekend stay in Hermosa…
Pride and Prejudice
Rick Garcia, who runs the state’s largest gay rights organization, is obviously a little fed up with some Democrats in the Illinois state Senate. “They’re just wusses,” Garcia says. Garcia is upset at the Democrats for preventing Senate Bill 101 from receiving a vote by the full Senate. The bill would essentially forbid discrimination in…
aldermania
The decision to pay the law firm of Husch & Eppenberger another $80,000 was arguably the lead story coming out of this week’s Springfield City Council meeting. But the vote itself had all the sizzle of cottage cheese. “Anybody want to make a political statement?” the mayor asked as aldermen voted. Aside from an emphatic…
Wrong turn
When The Spot closed at 3 a.m. on May 11, 2002, Don Loftus left driving the wrong way down Cook Street. He had traveled less than a block when he smashed into a car driven by Malinda Gray. “He couldn’t even walk,” Gray says. “He got out of his car and was just wobbling back…
Quick Takes
TANGLED WEB Try to Google “Sangamon County Democratic Party,” and more than 2,000 addresses appear. The first is the wrong one: www.il-democrats.org/sangamon/. Up until Tuesday, it provided woefully outdated information — unless you’re still interested in candidates from the November 2002 elections. As of Tuesday, that site now says just one thing: “We have Moved.”…
Dodge ball
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s success on major legislation last year may not translate into passage of his top priority this year: eliminating the Illinois State Board of Education, which he’s compared to a “Soviet-style” bureaucracy. On every major victory last year, the governor had the backing of both Democratic legislative leaders, House Speaker Michael Madigan and…
Movie Reviews
The triumph of the U.S. hockey Olympics team over a heavily favored Soviet squad is among the greatest underdog stories in sports history. It’s also one of the best known, making it a challenge for any filmmaker who’s trying to chronicle the team’s improbable march towards glory. Director Gavin O’Connor and screenwriter Eric Guggenheim do…
Letters 2-5-04
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, IL 62705 Fax: (217) 753-3958 E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com UNBELIEVABLE, BUT NOT UNEXPECTED I wish to thank freelance writer Bob Schaper for the…
Love bites
Valentine’s Day is all about love. The love of creamy chocolate dessert. Prime rib dinners for two. Fresh strawberries and cream. In honor of Cupid’s big day, several area restaurants are offering special menu items. Here’s a sampling of dining options sure to warm your heart: Norb Andy’s Tabarin. Special menu items include a chicken…
Knoepfle 2-5-04
prayer room poem commemorated here those who died in the torpedoing of the uss dorchester february 3, 1943 george fox john washington alexander goode charles poling died praying together refusing the overcrowded lifeboats their jackets given to others four chaplains a minister a minister a rabbi a priest so memorable a text all that they…
