Grace about town 1-22-04
I wasn’t going to write about dating. I feel that there are more interesting things to talk about other than relationships. And besides, people don’t want to hear about them, do they? Yeah, I realized they do. So here goes: I had my first date when I was 16. I had to drive, because he…
Aldermania
Bruce and Christina Alderson had a lot going for them: Legal precedent, supportive neighbors, folders full of color photos, not to mention plain logic. But when it came time for the Springfield City Council to vote on the Aldersons’ request, it turned out that they persuaded only three aldermen. As they left the council chamber…
Cabin fever, sassafras and morels
Do you have a tale to tell? If you live in the Springfield area and want to share a story about an adventure, a favorite activity, or a recollection of the past, send your essay to “Capital Voices” at Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705, or e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com In the middle of February,…
From the junior leagues to the majors
On June 18, 1945, Dick Schofield, a ten-year-old fourth grader from Harvard Park School, had the opportunity to meet the state’s top elected official, Gov. Dwight Green. Schofield, a representative of the Springfield Junior Baseball League, was there to promote the Old Time Baseball Players Association’s “Baseball Day” at Lanphier Park. The program for “Baseball…
Knoepfle 1-22-04
poet of cats I trust you will notice that I am the cat piscataway because I am once from new jersey you may wish to admire my coat sleek gray with black stripes and memorable touches of cinnamon I am mrs mcgowans friend and I am the resident poet which I have been since 19…
Cool, sexy, guilty pleasures – who could ask for more?
The Springfield Classical Guitar Society features Russel Brazzel in its second concert of the 2003-04 season. The evening, Brazzel says, promises to be “strictly Spanish,’ featuring music never previously included in the artist’s repertoire. “The Serenata Andaluza [by Joaquin Malats], Variations on ‘La Folia’ [Fernando Sor], and the Torre Bermeja [Isaac Albeniz] are new, though…
Quick takes
WE’RE NO. 2 Marjabelle Young Stewart was simply delighted when we called to ask how Springfield made it back on her annual list of well-mannered cities. “You are precious to care that much,” the well-known etiquette expert and Kewanee, Ill., resident gushed. Then she explained: “The people who nominated you admire your polish and kindness…
Now playing 1-22-04
Howdy hi, live music lovers! Grab a barstool, throw your coat in the corner (watch for the spilled beer), and take a gander at the nightlife offered to you this week. An early evening Thursday search will bring you into the world of two Brians, Curtis and Cutright, that is. BC Squared kicks off the…
The portions are grand at Marcia’s
Deborah Denney learned how to cook while serving her country. The chef, who once fed a former president and Navy admirals, now serves up fried chicken livers in a small café. But it’s all the same for Denney. “I enjoy it,” says the owner and chef of Marcia’s Grand Café in Mt. Pulaski. Denney recently…
Seeking inspiration
Despite easily winning two consecutive statewide elections, a recent Chicago Tribune poll has Comptroller Dan Hynes at just 14 percent in the U.S. Senate race. Even worse, Hynes is tied with two of his opponents, Maria Pappas and Barack Obama. How can Dan Hynes possibly be polling just 14 percent in this race? And how…
Movie Review
Make a Date with four charmers in a tale of love and values Is love more likely to survive in the spotlight of fame or with wholesome values and anonymity? That’s the question three young adults in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton must answer as fate and ashrewd business manager (Nathan Lane) throw their…
Idea safari
Without a budget and with an uncertain vision, Springfield Medical District commissioners continue dreaming of possibilities. Last week, commission members heard from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Carl Baker, one of several Springfield delegates who recently toured St. Louis’s expansive technology corridor. There, Baker reports, several universities and corporations are working together to encourage…
Bards of the Sangamo
Inconstant time Inconstant time ticks now forward, now back, a snag, a snarl, a sneer in the crosshairs of the moment: this instant. Call me hack or fool, but I travel these broken stairs incessantly. What I mean by all this is that my memories of the good times call up the bad, as if…
The state of pain
While Illinois politicians talk about the discomfort of budget cuts and fiscal belt-tightening, George Perry can feel the pain in his bones. “The back problems come once a year or so,” says Perry, a 69-year-old Illinois state retiree. There’s also the matter of his bum knees (both have been replaced) and a nasty case of…
Letters 1-22-04
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 CONNECTING THE DOTS After reading a letter to the editor in the…
