Manierre Dawson in town
The Illinois State Museum has announced the dates of showing of 16 original oil paintings in its collection by Manierre Dawson. “A Journey to Abstraction.” Dawson, sayeth the curators, was a little-known artist from Chicago who had virtually no direct contact with his early 20th century European and American Avant-Garde counterparts but who independently arrived…
Earnest “Patriot’s Day” a Gripping, Emotional Tribute
Only three years removed from the event itself, Peter Berg’s Patriot’s Day runs the risk of reopening fresh wounds and perhaps offending victims of the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013, the event at the core of this tribute to American – particularly Bean Town – fortitude and patriotism. While none but those personally connected to…
Branching out
In 1909 its Chamber of Commerce undertook a campaign to make Springfield “the largest city by all odds in the state outside Chicago.” Our best Babbits insisted that there was “no good reason why Springfield” (which then counted some 51,000 people) “shouldn’t become a city with a population of 100,000 within the next 10 years…
A political party worth joining
The best political party in America is not the Dems nor the Repubs. By far, the best political party is a real party named “Fighting Bob Fest.” It’s a daylong, outdoor political festival run by a coalition of Wisconsin progressives who believe in “putting the party back in politics.” Held in Madison every September, Bob…
This Madigan stuff isn’t just a tactic
Back in December, Gov. Bruce Rauner was asked by a Chicago TV reporter if he planned to run for reelection. Rauner said he wasn’t focused on such things. Just three days later, Gov. Rauner contributed $50 million to his own campaign fund. So, either he suddenly focused himself on the 2018 campaign, or he simply wasn’t…
Letters to the Editor 1/12/17
THE COST OF KIDS The Department of Agriculture claims the cost of raising a child from birth through age 17 is $233,610, or almost $14,000 annually. As the father of seven children, let me say that this is nonsense. Moreover, the Department of Agriculture fails to identify the multiple benefits of raising children, such as…
Editor’s note 1/12/17
Barack Obama, a victim of term limits in his present job, appropriately returned to his home state to give his farewell address. Sounding like one whose work is done, he encouraged the rest of us to roll up our sleeves to keep hope alive. The guy is 55 years old. Democrats are looking for a…
Democrats, take the high road. Dump Madigan.
Life is full of “What if…?” questions. One of these questions preeminent in Illinois is, “What if Speaker Madigan was no longer speaker?”. One of my “What if” questions is: How would I have voted for speaker if I had won my race for state representative?” When I stated publicly last fall that I would…
Artistic little monsters
On Saturday, Jan. 14, bring your little monster to the downtown YMCA for a “Cookies and Canvas”-themed “Kids Night Out” event. Under the guidance of the YMCA’s art staff, kids will paint and draw a monster from their own imagination. The fun will continue at a later date (to be determined) when the children’s artworks…
A search for passion and adventure
On Wednesday, Jan. 18, treat the family to a performance of Pippin, the high-flying, death-defying Broadway musical that features choreography in the style of Bob Fosse, amazing acrobatics by Les 7 doigts de la main, and stunning songs derived from the mastermind of Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz. Pippin is the magical story of a young…
Reflections on local government
In 1987, a U.S. District Court determined that Springfield’s city government was not representative of its citizens. Judge Harold Baker ruled that the city’s at-large system of electing council members diluted the voting power of blacks, which directly violated the Voting Rights Act. This decision resulted in the institution of Springfield’s aldermanic system of governance…
Meme streets
My girlfriend of six years is breaking up with me. My question is: How do I let our friends and my family know? I’m thinking a mass email telling my side of the story. Then I wouldn’t have to have the same conversation over and over with different people. – Glum Sending a mass email…
Slavery in the Land of Lincoln
This article is reprinted with permission from Illinois Issues, where it first was published last October. Illinois Issues is produced by NPR Illinois in Springfield. Because Illinois is a northern state and the former home of Abraham Lincoln, it isn’t typically associated with slavery. But there was slavery in Illinois for more than 100 years.…
Pictures of the past
Springfield underwent a substantial transformation during the 1960s and 1970s. Through developments in the areas of tourism, education, entertainment and commerce, the city wasc adamant about preserving its culture as well as modernizing in an effort to adhere to the changing landscape of the 20th century. In Springfield, Curtis Mann, director of the Sangamon Valley…
Bringing college football to Springfield?
College football in Springfield is all but a pipe dream now. However, the new athletic director at the University of Illinois Springfield – who has extensive experience in bringing football to a collegiate program – may spur hope that one day the capital city could be a hotspot for football on Saturday afternoons. Last June,…
Nonprofit helps area artists succeed
Adam Nicholson has been involved in the Springfield arts scene for years. Now, as founder of Sala Creative Association, a newly minted 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, he is developing a forum for local artists, working across all formats, to use as a resource for everything from professional development to networking. During the earliest iteration of…
Cash crunch hits cops
The Village of Jerome has curtailed police patrols, ending a long history of 24/7 police coverage by village officers. Village police are still on the job, but not around the clock. Reduced coverage began late last month. Village officials cite a number of factors in the decision to reduce coverage. An officer who suffered an…
Inside the sausage factory
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s control of Illinois government comes largely from parliamentary rules that give him an iron grip over lawmakers and legislation, according to a recent report from the Illinois Policy Institute. The conservative group has a reputation as a Madigan hater. The institute last year produced a documentary film that portrayed the…
ENGINEERS, NOT LAWYERS
Critics of Chatham’s less-than-perfect water system got some bad news this week from a Chicago law firm hired to review the creation of the South Sangamon Water Commission and determine whether there were any shenanigans that might allow the village to walk away from the commission created eight years ago and go back to buying…
THAT DIDN’T LAST
David Bourland, who moved last month from director of exhibits at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to director of historic sites for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is no longer getting a paycheck from taxpayers. His last day on the job was Jan. 6, says Chris Wills, IHPA spokesman, who confirmed that Bourland…
Stylish Night is a by-the-numbers exercise
Much like Ron Howard, Ben Affleck is an old school, workman-like director. Give him any script, and he’s likely to come up with a competently made movie. He has no overarching theme that runs throughout his work, he has no distinctive visual style, and while his films have been entertaining, none of them require much…
Bands on the run
It looks like we are on the move again; all the bars and clubs and taverns and wineries are up to snuff and booked to the gills. Not only are the venues jamming, but all kinds of music makers are making it happen, some to the exhilarating extent of three gigs in a weekend. Mississippi…
Last Call
Filled with years of experience of rocking bars all night long while playing in local bands such as Kicked to the Curb, Zack Fedor and the Backseat Drivers, Piston Broke, Porkpie and the Northend Allstars, Stone and Biscuit Band, Miss Conduct, The Mix and Pet Cemetery Road, Last Call’s band members come with well-earned and…
On onions and tears
The first anniversary of my wife (and Illinois Times food writer) Julianne’s passing is approaching. When she died, she left me with four decades of memories and two freezers full of homemade soups, stocks, stews and sauces. Over the past year I have been eating my way through the freezer while I work my way…
apologia poem #3
apologia poem #3 dear cherished charities – smallestfrogs to largest shrinking icecapsswollen babies’ bellies to all helplesshomeless prisoned poisoned deformeddemented defamed defunded: you knowby now I sent you only tokens this pastseason some of you I omitted entirelyI spent my pence (and more) on thosewho if elected might protect you mightsave you some won but…
