“Amy” a Devastating, Moving Tribute to a Lost Soul
What makes Asif Kapadia’s documentary Amy so remarkable – and ultimately so devastating – is the vast number of video resources the filmmaker is able to pull from in order to construct this powerful portrait of pop singer Amy Winehouse. Drawing from home movies, videos of club dates, concert footage, interviews and personal digital files,…
Parsons avoids jail…for now
Jeffrey Parsons avoided arrest today for skipping court-ordered restitution to his former employees, but the judge put Parsons on a short leash for the next four months. Parsons is the former owner of THR & Associates, a now-defunct gold and antiques buying business that went belly-up and left several employees unpaid, even after a $12.3…
The Scene: July 9
On this week’s edition of The Scene, Rachel and Scott look at the nature of belief…and bacon! Oh and L.A. Guns are at Homespun Republic. And Lynda Barry is awesome. Oh just listen to it.
Naming rights and wrongs
Photo BY MARK ADAMS/MYRTLE BEACH SUN-NEWS/TNS Across the South, Confederate battle flags, long regarded with pride as the symbol of a newly risen South, have been coming down from atop statehouses and courthouses. Hyperbolic commentators see the removal as the final act of the Civil War, but I see it as mere circumspection, not a…
Marriage equality moves from taboo to justice
From 1956 until 2010, CBS television’s daytime lineup included America’s longest-running soap opera: “As the World Turns.” But times change, and now a real-life human drama of profound importance has debuted in America: “As the Generations Turn.” It’s the inspiring story of our society’s continuing struggle to evolve toward dignity and mutual respect… as well…
Rauner continues to skirt responsibility
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is proving to be quite adept at skirting responsibility for the current Statehouse impasse and impending government shutdown. He has relentlessly painted himself as the good guy, even to the point of blatantly abandoning his previous stances. For instance, Rauner has righteously slammed the Democrats’ “unconstitutional” unbalanced budget, even though his…
Letters to the Editor 7/9/15
A woman covers the fence of the Emanuel AME Church with white ribbons where nine people were killed. PHOTO BY Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS. RACISM. THINK ABOUT IT. In the aftermath of the recent murders of nine citizens at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., various national leaders described the actions of Dylann Roof as “unthinkable.” …
Editor’s note 7/9/15
Don’t close the museum, continued. The one and only public hearing on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s crazy proposal to close the Illinois State Museum is 4 p.m. Monday in Room 212 of the Capitol. Those who wish to speak must contact in advance the Commission on Government Financing and Accountability at facilityclosure@ilga.gov. The written comments posted…
My memories of Sangamon State
In the summer of 1970 a small storefront office opened on Washington Street. People began showing up to register for higher education classes. This was something new; a public university was coming to Springfield. Like all government projects it was behind schedule. A campus of several one-story metal buildings was nearing completion by the lake,…
Bacon and bands
Downtown Bacon Throwdown and Music Fest Here’s a delectable new festival that we’re excited to see in the streets of downtown Springfield: the first annual Downtown Bacon Throwdown and Music Fest, hosted by Downtown Springfield, Inc. This two-day festival features 20 food vendors offering classic and eccentric menus centered on bacon. Vendors will vie for…
From books to Broadway
Seussical: The Musical See the Cat in the Hat and many more of Dr. Seuss’ most beloved characters come to life during the Springfield Municipal Opera’s production of Seussical: The Musical. Seussical tells the story of Horton, an elephant who stumbles on a speck of dust containing creatures called Whos, a microscopic species whom he…
Fun for all at the ballpark
Springfield Sliders baseball Join the Springfield Sliders as they take on the Hannibal Cavemen this Saturday, July 11, at Robin Roberts Stadium. If you have yet to attend a Springfield Sliders baseball game, what are you waiting for? An array of summer’s freshest brews to sample during the game? A pregame princess tea party? Well,…
Emotion sickness
Last week, my girlfriend was all annoyed about something (something relatively unimportant). I’m normally not a bad listener, but I was getting stressed out just hearing about this. I blurted out, “Calm down!” and she really flipped, yelling, “Don’t tell me to calm down!” It took me forever (and lots of “I’m sorrrreeee”s) to get…
RoboDealer
Curses, foiled againPolice arrested gunman Christopher Trail for holding six people hostage at a pharmacy in Red Bay, Ala. He let five of them go but kept pharmacist Donna Weatherford, who said he forced her to supply him with drugs. After an hour, he asked for a recliner. Told there was none, he pulled some…
Sounding off on Sangamon County
Happy days are here again in Sangamon County – at least by some measures. The results of the second Sangamon County Citizen Survey were released on June 26, showing that residents of Springfield and the surrounding area generally feel happier and healthier than two years ago. Still, a measure of gloom persists about some of…
A touch of Germany in Hermann, Missouri
The Missouri River runs along the town of Hermann, a German settlement west of St. Louis known for winemaking and German food. The bicycling and walking Katy Trail, part of a 240-mile state park across Missouri, is on the north side of the river. PHOTO BY HERMANN TOURISM OFFICE The bachelorette party was in full…
Hunter Lake poised for passage
Springfield’s long-debated proposal for a second lake appears poised for approval by the city council, but the controversial Hunter Lake would still face hurdles. Mayor Jim Langfelder and eight aldermen on the 10-member Springfield City Council support a proposal to build the lake in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as a nature…
Empowering message in Mike XXL
Joe Manganiello, Matthew Bomer and Channing Tatum in Magic Mike XXL. PHOTO COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURES There’s a hard and fast rule as far as storytelling is concerned that states conflict is necessary to drive the plot forward. The sole reason for the existence of Gregory Jacobs’ Magic Mike XXL seems to be to disprove…
Hoedown and throwdown
L.A. Guns plays Homespun Republic on Friday, July 10. Per usual, the music calendar is bursting at the seams like a fine fellow finishing off a bacon-bettered food item, such as those available downtown this weekend. Friday brings Indiana singer-songwriter Bill Price back to the Walnut Street Winery for a night of thoughtful and provocative…
Broadside
Broadside PHOTO BY HANNAH VERBEUREN Formed in 2010 in Richmond, Virginia, Broadside took the time to cultivate, promulgate and perpetuate music worth hearing and a concert worth seeing. Recently signed to Chicago’s Victory Records, the band released their debut album Old Bones on May 19, with the video for the single “Coffee Talk” now available…
ancienthistory poem #4
ancienthistory poem #4 back in rome in the time of itsdecline emperorcaligula appointedhis horse to be amember of the governing bodywell at least it wasa whole horse ©2015 Jacqueline Jackson
Cold comfort, Spanish style
PHOTO BY JAVIER LASTRAS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Some call it liquid salad. That’s understandable, but there’s a lot more to gazpacho than a glass of V8, though you might never know it from some of the gazpachos that show up on summer menus all over the world these days: a bowl or glass of cold, seasoned tomato…
DOPE VS. BOOZE DILEMMA
It appears that young adults’ interest in marijuana may wane once they gain access to alcohol. A recent study from the University of Illinois measured alcohol and marijuana use in people between the ages of 18 and 24. They found a dramatic increase in alcohol use with newly 21-year olds – understandable since they could…
SMTD DEBUTS NEW WEBSITE
The Springfield Mass Transit District unveiled a new website design earlier this week, making the site more accessible and adding new capabilities. The new design allows users to view routes on an interactive map which shows the arrival time for the next bus at a given stop. The site is also now more friendly to…
