Medical marijuana is bad for Illinois
Jerry Ann Allers of La Grange Park is the mother of a son who was treated for cancer. He died at the age of 20, cancer free with only two more chemo treatments left. Why did he die? He developed an unexplained lung infection and spent two horrific months on a ventilator, dying slowly. After…
History of Springfield’s signature building
There was a time in this town when Second Street was today’s Koke Mill Road, at the western edge of the city. Back then the Industrial Age, nurtured for decades on the east coast, was sweeping west like wildfire, riding steel rails and embracing Illinois’ new capital city, the third town to hold the honor.…
IT Picks
ART | Masterpieces and more Each Saturday in June, the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association’s Artists Market touts 35 artists displaying their handcrafted wares including fine crafts, original art work, photography, painted furniture, jewelry and ceramics outdoors at the Town and Country Shopping Center on MacArthur Boulevard. The market also features a magician, a caricature artist,…
For some fine Austrian wine, say “groo-vy”
When you think of Austria, what comes to mind? Beautiful mountains and picturesque valleys? Strauss waltzes? Wienerschnitzel? Mozart? Pastries? (what we call “Danish” are known in Denmark as weinerbrød – “Vienna bread”) Maria and the Von Trapp kids singing “Do-Re-Mi”? The pristine white stallions of Vienna’s Spanish Riding School performing their “airs above the ground”…
Letters to the Editor
THE MAJORITY IS WRONG The decision in California regarding same-sex marriage was indeed historic, but not in a positive light. For the first time in U. S. history, the rights of an entire group of citizens were stripped away in a state constitution. Hate mongers celebrate because the decision upheld the “will of the people.”…
Oliver! overcomes slow start
Cast members from the organization’s three upcoming shows cheered wildly as Muni President Flynn Hanners mentioned them in his opening night remarks last Friday. As Hanners spoke, the audience sat before him with balloons and flowers tucked away in preparation for a post-show reception. It was a big crowd full of family and friends —…
People’s Poetry
Untitled Document junepoem #1 the loony laughter punctuates the lakethe fire dies in embers at our feetour halcyon time is over and I achefor trials that tomorrow we must meet © Jacqueline Jackson 2009
Love and Haiti
With all the poverty that exists in the United States Brent De Land, who founded the local nonprofit Haitian Development Fund, sometimes doesn’t know how to ask people to give his organization money for its health clinic in Haiti. However, he reasons, where there’s a need we should fill it no matter where it is…
Boy wonder
It’s been less than three months since Jonathon Monken became director of the Illinois State Police, but already he has jolted the agency. Which is sort of what troopers were hoping he would do, because dang, the place needed a good shake-up. In fact, it was the prospect of just such a joggle that persuaded…
Charter schools are on the ball
Even though politicians and education reformers have been singing the praises of charter schools for a number of years now, the concept has been slow to catch on outside of America’s big inner cities. This is especially true in Illinois, where only nine of the state’s 39 charter schools are located outside of the city…
Hangover’s hilarity shows no mercy
There always seems to be a breakout comedy each summer, and without question, Todd Phillips’ The Hangover is that film for 2009. Smart, witty and ribald, this tale of a weekend gone bad in Las Vegas actually gets funnier as it goes along, a rare feat in a genre where features of this sort tend…
Restoring Adams Wildlife Sanctuary
Green doesn’t always mean good. That’s the message that Tom Clay, the executive director of the Illinois Audubon Society, and Vern LaGesse, an ecological restorationist and president of the Friends of the Sangamon Valley, want to send with their new plan to revamp Adams Wildlife Sanctuary. The 40-acre preserve, nestled between Clear Lake and Forrest…
Pelham jumps the tracks
There are quite a few reasons to recommend Tony Scott’s The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It features a great performance from Denzel Washington as well as John Travolta’s best work since Pulp Fiction. It’s suspenseful, contains some great dialogue and is a genuinely entertaining movie. Unfortunately, all of these elements are undercut by…
Stopping the desecration of mountaintop removal
Obama spaketh, and it was good: “We have to find more environmentally sound ways of mining coal than simply blowing the tops off mountains,” he proclaimed. And, yea, in the mountains and down through all the valleys of the ancient land of Appalachia, hearts were filled with joy, for here was a prophet of hope…
Don’t miss Bluestone’s debut performance
I received an e-mail last week from Jacob Shane, better known to central Illinois music fans as Jake Shane, the young blues picker who represented the Illinois Central Blues Club at the 2007 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Shane won the duo/solo competition in Springfield and performed during the annual contest, where players from all…
