Art Beat: Pirates, Local Tunes & Movies Galore
It’s Friday, and that means time again to bring you our discussion of what events to check out this weekend and beyond. Scott Faingold of the Illinois Times and I will tell you about: The movie Gloria is playing at AMC Parkway 8 on Sunday and Tuesday as part of the SAA’s Molly Schlich Film Fest.…
“Whiplash” Follows the Beat of its Own Drum
“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘Good job.’ ” So says Terence Fletcher, instructor at the Shaeffer Conservatory of Music, a master manipulator whose sole purpose in life seems to be to weed out the mediocre and to push his students harder than he was pushed himself. More drill…
Despite Aniston’s Fine Work, “Cake” Half-Baked
The role of Claire Bennett in Daniel Barnz’s “Cake” is one performers love to see come their way. The character is sympathetic, is required to deliver biting crowd-pleasing bits of dialogue, has at least three big dramatic scenes that require moments of grandstand acting and ultimately takes the first steps towards recovery and redemption. In…
Pull the plug?
Both sides agree. Two aging coal-fired generators owned by City Water, Light and Power are akin to automobiles that are getting on in years. At some point, the owner must ask: Should I continue spending money on repairs and maintenance or should I walk away? Supporters of keeping the plants in operation say that it…
Letters to the Editor 1/22/15
BIRD COUNT RESULTS On Jan. 4, 2015, 25 observers endured cold, wind and snow from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. to complete Springfield’s 80th annual Christmas Bird Count. All birds that were seen and heard within a 7 ½-mile radius of the Old State Capitol were counted. The total number of birds was 23,113, which…
Rethinking guns in America
Handguns have killed more Americans than any other type of firearm. Two innocent policemen in New York City and a black teenager who pulled a handgun on police in Berkeley, Missouri, not far from Ferguson, are now part of that statistic. According to the FBI, criminals consistently chose handguns as their preferred weapon more than…
Easy ways to start living healthier
Contrary to popular belief, adopting a healthy lifestyle is not a difficult undertaking. In certain instances, convenience may need to be sacrificed in favor of nutrition, but many people find that living healthy is not nearly as difficult as they assumed it would be when they initially decided to make a change. When men and…
Imprisoned for poverty
Johnny Cordrey did his time. He spent 18 years at Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois, but when his release date came in April 2012, Cordrey was instead sent back to prison. He hadn’t committed any new offense, however. His attorney says the only crime Cordrey committed this time around was being poor. Cordrey is…
Exercise is good medicine for cancer patients
Matt Jackson sets out chairs, turns on music and the small group gathered for the Monday morning Fitness for You class on the third floor of the Simmons Cancer Institute join him as he begins leading them through a stretching warmup. The mood is light and casual as participants move through the 45-minute workout. John…
Cannabis: America’s common sense crop
In 1914, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst mounted a yellow-journalism crusade to demonize the entire genus of cannabis plants. Why? To sell newspapers, of course, but also because he was heavily invested in wood-pulp newsprint and he wanted to shut down competition from paper made from hemp – a species of cannabis that is a…
Caring for chickens
Backyard chicken coops have steadily been gaining popularity in the U.S. during the past several years. Backyard chickens make innovative pets and function as an extremely local food source, offering the most fresh and delicious eggs direct from your own backyard. Learn everything you need to know about raising backyard chickens during an information session…
Women, lifting weights is all good
Women have a lot of misconceptions about strength training. While more are lifting weights, many are reluctant to set foot in the weight room. One of the biggest fears is that they will bulk up and turn into the Incredible Hulk. “One-third of all women have this preconceived notion that weights will make you big,”…
Make morning workouts work
Many men and women struggle to find time to exercise. If hectic schedules dominated by professional and personal commitments have made it difficult to make exercise part of your daily routine, you might want to consider skipping the snooze button so you can work out in the early morning hours. Early morning workouts have their…
Maurice John Vaughn
Once again the Illinois Central Blues Club delivers, sponsoring a show by one of Chicagoland’s most respected and versatile blues artists. Maurice John Vaughn started out playing the saxophone to join a band in the 70s. Not long after that, he moved to guitar to keep the gigs coming and added singing to extend his…
My New Year’s resolution: No more healthy, sort of
This column started out as a rant. For a while now, I’ve wanted to bang my head against a wall almost every time I hear the adjective “healthy.” So I decided my 2015 New Year’s resolution would be that I will no longer refer to specific foods and eating practices as healthy. In truth, it’s…
Illinoisans want Statehouse peace
A solid majority of Illinoisans want newly inaugurated Gov. Bruce Rauner to find common ground with the Democratic legislative majority rather than be confrontational, a new poll finds. However, most aren’t confident that the state’s leaders can avoid gridlock, and a majority believes the Democrats will be to blame. “Do you think Republican Gov. Bruce…
A cautionary tale
For those who don’t know the story, here’s what happened. Politically connected Springfieldians undertake to put more of the city’s long-hidden Lincoln legacy on display to new generations of visitors. They envision a new building that will invigorate tourism, restore downtown, and put Illinois on the tourism map. The idea is pushed by winds blowing…
Springfield speaks out on race
Current events have thrust race relations in America, specifically between African Americans and law enforcement, into the spotlight. During this roundtable discussion, five panelists plus a moderator will discuss the role(s) that race currently plays in our community and trace these roles back to the time of plantations and slavery. Panelists will take a close…
Sweet defeat
Trembling, I sat in my car outside a pharmacy. I struggled internally over whether to go inside. I walked in, picked up an item, set it on the counter and waited impatiently for the clerk to come around. The item: a candy bar. I am a sugar addict. Numerous studies have shown that sugar affects…
Presenting polite pirates
PHOTO COURTESY mypirateschool.com Pirate School is an interactive variety show for children ages 4 and up. Created by New York City-based comedian and actor, David Engel, the show utilizes everyone’s favorite “briny buccaneers of yore” as a vehicle for teaching children good manners and societal courage. Pirate School features a cartoon-like soundtrack, friendly competition between…
Gold rush
Henry Baird figured that he would do well when he decided to open up Pennies Place, a gambling parlor on Wabash Avenue. But not this well. The five video gambling machines in Pennies netted more than $20,000 in December, Baird’s first full month in business. After paying 30 percent in taxes to the state and…
Thawing time thoughts
Rest in Peace to Pat Bowe pictured here (third from left) with bandmates Dave Arnold, John Guvvens and Steve York as members of the Pat Bowe Band. There’s nothing like a balmy January break from freezing temps to encourage us to wander from our warm caves for a hot time listening to cool music. First,…
Editor’s note 1/22/15
It was good to see some of the Obama swagger return during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address. When the polls and the elections are going the wrong way, when the culture wars and the race strife and the terrorist attacks are at full swing, it’s easy to start thinking this guy is not…
Urning curve
My boyfriend of eight months was with his ex for almost five years. Unfortunately, she passed two years ago. I have sympathy for him but occasionally he’ll call me by her name and it’s really upsetting. I feel like she’s haunting his brain and I don’t know how to do an exorcism. How do I…
swimming lessons poem #1
swimming lessons poem #1 I don’t recall how kids 3 and 4 learnedto swim I do have a found scrap from ellielabeled “courage tests” the list headedby “swim through seaweed” so she wasswimming before writing but I well recallkids 1 and 2 – with demi, age 3, we usedthe book – she knelt on…
Paddington stuffed with charm
Michael Bond’s Paddington books were not a part of my childhood, so I went into Paul King’s big screen adaptation of these beloved English children’s stories blissfully ignorant. I’m glad, as it afforded me the pleasure of being pleasantly surprised throughout. “Charming” and “delightful” are overused descriptors where films of this sort are concerned, lazily…
Is smoking e-cigarettes a good way to quit?
Quitting smoking and losing weight consistently top New Year’s resolutions lists. In an effort to stop smoking, a growing number of smokers are turning to electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, to help them quit once and for all. Although e-cigarettes are not currently regulated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is weighing regulations in a market…
Seeking clemency in Springfield
Anthony Murray is one of two people who sought clemency last week with help from the Springfield-based Illinois Innocence Project. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Anthony Murray spent 14 years in prison, and he was facing another 31 years when he was offered a chance to go home. The unusual plea agreement that let Murray out…
Flights of fancy
Curses, foiled againPolice charged Kahlif Aleem Buggs, 32, with fraudulent use of debit cards after Tamara Thomas noticed a family “shopping like it was Christmas” at a Family Dollar store in DeKalb, Ga. Thomas got behind them at the register and saw Buggs pay with her missing card, which she recognized because it had been…
THE TRAIL IS OURS
Sangamon County is the proud owner of a new stretch of land, thanks to the Illinois General Assembly. Former Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill Jan. 9 transferring ownership of the Sangamon Valley Trail from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to Sangamon County for the princely sum of a single dollar. The 5.5-mile trail…
Small-scale fracking
Illinois has yet to issue permits for high-volume hydraulic fracturing, but at least one well has been “fracked” since a new law began regulating the practice. However, one industry expert says low oil prices may slow new high-volume fracking activity. According to documents obtained by Illinois Times, an oil well in Wayne County was fracked…
FIRST BLACK FIREHOUSE
Springfield’s first black firehouse opened in 1902, and the building still stands today. The firehouse, located at what is now 1310 E. Adams St., was home to the city’s black firefighters, who weren’t allowed to work with white firefighters at the time. During Springfield’s infamous 1908 race riot, those black firefighters fought to save eastside…
