Quick takes
NO. 1 WITH A BULLET It seemed like a romantic way to ring in the New Year — going downtown, watching the fireworks, holding hands with your husband. But for Marla and Rob Tebbenkamp, that moment was interrupted by what Marla describes as an “intense kind of shock, kind of pain” in her arm. “Our…
People’s poetry
Morning Best I like morning best: delivering papers with my son, the dew lit grass. Our coffees, flushed with milk, make the sharp air sharper as we move from house to house, lobbing dailies into dawn’s bliss. Once upon a time, others walked this route; we feel them in the wind, the rustle of leaves.…
Grace about town
How’re those resolutions coming? Diet going well? I thought I’d do some actual research this week and count the diet books at the bookstore, but I quickly got bored. There were about 300 different selections. Some of my favorite titles include Life Without Bread (I, personally, don’t think life would be worth living without bread,…
Backstage pass
The new year has begun, the Center for the Arts in downtown Springfield had a spectacular opening, rehearsals began this week for Springfield Theatre Centre’s winter production of Edward Albee’s powerful drama Three Tall Women, and STC unveils its production of Annie Friday night, promising to start 2004 off on a very high note. But…
The changing face of voters
What makes it hard, at first glance, to take Roger Reinstorf seriously? Maybe it’s that his cheeks and lips are pierced — twice — and a thick ring stretches out the hole in each of his earlobes. Jehovah’s Witnesses have knocked on his door only to abruptly leave at the sight of him, he says.…
With help from her friends, a young widow made a life for her girls
On May 27, 1942, the Hunn sisters of Springfield were innocence and beauty incarnate as they modeled their new spring outfits at Aunt Hannah’s Baby Shop, which was then located at 126 N. Fifth St. in the Orpheum Recreation Palace. They had been specially outfitted for a party at the Leland Hotel to honor their…
Local drummers explore the frontiers of percussion
Drumming is an obsession for Dennis Maberry, who started banging away on a drum set 25 years ago. For years, he played with rock bands until he couldn’t maintain a semblance of a normal life. He settled down, married, and got a job. Then, nine years ago, during a visit to Seattle’s World Percussion Festival,…
Causal Observers
Special to Illinois Times IOWA CITY — With less than two weeks before Iowans meet at precinct caucuses to cast the first votes of the 2004 presidential campaign, candidates are zigzagging across the state as they have been for months, rallying the troops and trying to woo the last of the undecided. Traveling with the…
Fish stories
Aldermen must be saving their twaddle for the big budget hearings, which begin tonight (see schedule below), because Tuesday’s City Council meeting started late and ended so early certain councilmen had time to enjoy a full meal at Saputo’s. The one and only hot topic on the agenda was Ward 5 Alderman Joe Bartolomucci’s proposal…
Plan ahead and select garden catalogs
As temperatures get colder, most gardeners are starting to have dreams of the first juicy-ripe tomato or heavenly fragrance of a garden-fresh rose. While we may not be able to garden, it is not too early to plan what to grow. Plants and seeds are available from many sources, including local garden centers, hardware stores,…
Now playing 1-8-04
What goes better with frigid weather than a frosty cold one and dancing until you’re sweating like the winner of the Kentucky Derby? I don’t know, you tell me — I don’t have the answers, only questions and suggestions. Say hello to the capital city’s newest fun rock-n-roll group the Funaddicts. It’s the Bare Bones…
The Return of the Roxy
Bob Boarman has 16 grandchildren of his own, but to hear him talk, he’s the surrogate grandfather of all the kids in town. And it bothered the 62-year-old businessman that all of his kids had to leave town to have a good time. It was a marked difference from when he was a young man…
A colorful café of spice
One step inside Café Brio and you’ll quickly get an idea of what kind of food is served there. The bold colors of gold, green, and orange-red are used on everything from the walls to the menus. Even the complimentary tortilla chips made daily come in shades of orange and purple. So it’s evident this…
Letters 1-8-04
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 MINER’S POINT Meg Miner’s letter to the Illinois Times was thorough and…
Movie review
Liberty is derivative of classic romances, but lacks style and grace Andy Cadiff’s Chasing Liberty has more than a few similarities to the Audrey Hepburn romances Roman Holiday and Two for the Road — so much so, I wouldn’t be surprised if first-time screenwriters Derek Guiley and David Schneiderman didn’t have copies in their VCRs…
IT names new publisher
Sharon Whalen has been named publisher of Illinois Times, the capital city’s weekly newspaper. The announcement was made by Fletcher Farrar, president of Central Illinois Communications, the newspaper’s parent company. Whalen has served as associate publisher since July 2002 and has been responsible for operations since that time. “The new title gives Sharon the recognition…
Knoepfle 1-8-04
aristotle with a greek salad aristotle went to the agora said when you want to do a thing you show how expedient it is this argument usually carries the day because everybody wants to do something expedient but later when the action aristotle said picking up a radish [I don’t think they had forks not…
