Public School Choice not quite revisited
Two newspaper articles, 12 days and at least one school board member’s questions later, the CEO of Springfield Public Schools says he’s not yet able to discuss a Public School Choice waiver application that would decrease the number of students’ families notified about potential options for moving from their failing school from more than 4,000…
YOUNG REPRESENTATIVE
It’s too early to tell if Tyler Morrison has a political career ahead of him, but the 4-year-old son of State Rep. Thomas Morrison, a Palatine Republican, has a better chance than some career politicians with his efforts to talk to people on both sides of the aisle during the weekend legislative session, May 28.…
The Hangover Part II is too familiar
Is it possible to catch lightning in a bottle twice? Warner Brothers and director Todd Phillips certainly hope so where The Hangover Part II is concerned. This is the inevitable sequel to the most successful R-rated comedy of all time. If one thing can be said about Phillips, who had a hand in writing the…
Prophet of parody
“Weird Al” Yankovic’s traveling ministry, I mean tour, descends on Springfield June 5 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center. One-of-the-funniest comedians alive today, Yankovic’s brilliant wackiness, killer accordion and band, and poignant and positively hilarious songs with make you disappear into a heaven of laughter for three hours. Beginning his comedic life via the Dr.…
Clear as a bell
The plains are alive with the sound of music — bells to be precise. Don’t miss the 50th International Carillon Festival held at the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon at Washington Park. Bring your blanket or chair and enjoy seven nights of music by carillon musicians from all over the world, including Peter Langberg from Denmark,…
canarypoem #1
my friend auditions canaries a strange jobyou think well it’s a matter of sex and a bitmore pleasant than gendering chicks whichanother friend used to do it seems that onlymale canaries sing and male canaries marketfor twenty dollars more at the canary bazaars so it’s worth her time (since she has twentysome hatchlings to sell…
Will the state cut Springfield’s pay?
Local government officials are questioning whether the state of Illinois will make cuts to local government distributive funds, the portion of state income tax given to municipalities. At a May 27 Citizens Club of Springfield meeting, Mayor Michael Houston told Senate President John Cullerton, the featured speaker, of his concerns that the state could hinder…
Feeding the famous
Want to know what Jimmy Buffet drinks in his dressing room? (It’s not margaritas!) What a certain female rocker looks like in curlers? Which rapper writes into his catering rider that staff neither speak to or even look at him? My daughter Ashley knows. For several years, Ashley worked at Big Delicious Planet, cooking and…
Talent and treasures
Forty local artisans will display and offer for sale their handmade fine crafts and art work, such as: photography, painted furniture, jewelry and ceramics at the fifth annual MBBA Artist Market, taking place the first two Saturdays in June on the north end of the Town and Country Shopping Center parking lot. Don’t miss the…
A poignant second Panda
Funny thing about having all of your dreams come true. Usually there’s that other shoe that drops, making you wonder if your good fortune is a blessing or not. Case in point: Po (voice by Jack Black), is the panda who’s come into his own as a fully-respected member of the Furious Five, China’s elite…
Chris Knight
Born and raised in Slaughters, Ky., Chris Knight went from aspiring songwriter to a major force in the country field in a few short years, scoring major hits with big-name Nashville artists (Randy Travis, John Anderson, Montgomery Gentry) while keeping integrity intact and gaining respect from the critical world of particular listeners within the alt-country…
THE HOUSE GOT SERVED
The last weekend of the legislature can mean many things for members of the General Assembly, including long hours, little sleep and long debates between fellow constituents. But the end of session has also meant fried chicken for the entire Illinois House for the last 15 years, served up by State Rep. Raymond Poe, a…
Letters to the Editor 06/02/11
FLEECING OF ILLINOISOur present-day leaders are not real leaders, they are hypocrites. Our state lawmakers and the governor want to cut benefits of current state employees, but they don’t mind lining their own pockets by giving themselves 85 percent of their last salary as retirement. If lawmakers work more than 20 years under the General…
Tee time
One of the biggest women’s pro tour golf tournaments tees off for four days in Springfield at Panther Creek Country Club. The 25 highest-ranked players on the LPGA Money List have committed to play in this year’s Classic, including defending champion, #9 ranked Cristie Kerr. Other leaders include: Yani Tseng, Karrie Webb, Stacey Lewis, Sandra…
Sex offender board can’t manage sex offenders
An audit of the Illinois Sex Offender Management Board shows failures in tracking sex offenders, even as the state legislature considers ramping up monitoring requirements. The audit, released May 26 by Illinois Auditor General William Holland, says SOMB failed to develop a system for monitoring sex offenders seven years after those requirements took effect. Created…
No stickers
I will not be able to take Western religions seriously until they explain the sand burr. The plant’s very existence suggests that the universe is a creation of malevolent design. Even devout Christians come close to agreeing with me. While enjoying a balmy day, one believer writes, “And I thought, Father, this is so amazing,…
New election district may benefit Springfield’s east side
A new election map approved by the Illinois General Assembly could result in better representation for Springfield’s east side. Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner testified at a May 24 hearing of the Illinois House and Senate redistricting committees, telling lawmakers that a new election district joining Springfield’s east side with much of Decatur could aid…
The nuke next door
On Friday, March 11, 2011, an afternoon earthquake with a 9.0 magnitude struck off the coast of Japan, unleashing a 14-meter tsunami that about an hour later would devastate the country’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site. Designed only to withstand a tsunami of less than 6 meters, three nuclear reactors lost power as the…
Ashley’s chocolate cake
“I can’t believe it! – I’m making a birthday cake for Gene Simmons (of the band KISS),” she once e-mailed me. The KISS members and crew loved it – as does everyone who eats this cake. Not only is it delicious, it’s as easy to make as any mix. 1 1/4 c. Dutch processed cocoa,…
Local merchants wary of sports superstore
Local athletic stores are gearing up for competition from a sports superstore set to open on South MacArthur Boulevard next month. Scheels Outfitters, located at Legacy Pointe Town Center, will open its doors June 25. The store is one-third hunting and fishing, one-third athletics and one-third shoes and clothing, says Kevin Lambley, store leader at…
Quinn is out of touch on budget
Shortly after Gov. Pat Quinn introduced a budget this year which was way out of balance, called for even higher taxes and increased state spending, the General Assembly decided to ignore him. That was back in February. Things haven’t changed much since then. The governor’s original budget proposal was just so out of sync with…
Privatization: The road to Hell
Billionaires are different from you and me, for obvious reasons, including the fact that they buy much pricier baubles than we do. A sleek car costing $100,000? Why, for them, that’s just an easy impulse purchase. A few million bucks for a Matisse original? Go ahead – it’ll liven up the hallway. How about throwing…
A sinking feeling about the economy
On May 17, 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a report entitled “Occupational Employment and Wages – May 2010.” This report summarizes the numerical skeleton of the economy we witness when walking through stores or malls. According to the BLS, “retail salespersons and cashiers were the occupations with the highest employment in 2010”…
Watch for wayward, wandering minstrels
In these days of well-planned careers featuring well-manicured appearances and well-kept personalities, designed by well-managed curators of societal conveniences meant to make all things acceptable, palatable and negotiable, finding a creative space to do what one will becomes a daunting challenge. For a couple of musicians traveling on the road, the challenge melted with a…
