“Fault” Avoids Most of its Genre’s Pitfalls
Director Josh Boone had his work cut out for him with having to bring The Fault on Our Stars to the big screen. Not only did he have a rabid fan base to answer to, but had to navigate the many pitfalls inherent to the tragic love story genre. Having not read the best-selling novel…
Dragon 2 soars above other summer fare
Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon 2. Not content to play it safe and give audiences the same old “boy and his dragon” adventure, director Dean DeBlois ups the emotional and thematic stakes in How to Train Your Dragon 2, an exciting, challenging and emotionally moving film that exceeds expectations by not…
Video: The Pharmacy Gallery takes “Flight” on Saturday
The Pharmacy – Springfield’s innovative, independent artist collective – is ready to unfurl its latest group show this Saturday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. In the video below, Pharmacy artist Adam Pershbacher walks us through the gallery space at the corner of S. Grand and Monroe as the show was being prepared, offering offhand…
Bruce Rushton’s WMAY radio interview about Springfield getting an inspector general
Bruce Rushton talks about Springfield’s move to hire an inspector general as well as the recent legislative session with WMAY radio host Greg Bishop. Please note: The bill number cited in the program is HB 3796, not HB 3976. CLICK HERE to see Bruce’s full story on Springfield considers inspector general
Cops in court
The Sangamon County sheriff’s office is asking a judge to overturn an arbitrator’s ruling that an admitted thief be reinstated to her job as a sheriff’s deputy. Sharon Waldron was fired after a surveillance camera captured her removing potted plants from a Sherman park near her home. She was on duty at the time she…
Video: Yogi Beara brings stripped down rock to SOHO Annex
Yogi Beara is the name of Springfield power duo Keagan Cross (guitar) and John Peters (drums) who will be performing at 7 pm Saturday at the Alamo on SOHO Festival’s annex stage. Check out their hot jam “New York” in the Illinois Times exclusive video below and hear the boys talk about what makes them…
Keeping score
Not much of substance got accomplished during the recently concluded legislative session, which isn’t surprising. When, after all, has the Illinois General Assembly achieved greatness in an election year? There were, however, winners and losers, as is always the case when the legislature is in session. Here’s a quick look inside the win-loss column. Winner:…
Our Cup runneth over
Honestly, I had no idea that anyone was paying attention. I had begun extolling the virtues of soccer as a spectator sport for years (beginning at this paper back in 1977) when most U.S. sports fans lumped soccer with socialism, clean, fast trains and quality universal health care systems among foreign threats to America. For…
The state of the new state budget
On the bright side, I suppose you could argue that last week’s budget passed by the General Assembly will lead to the largest tax cut in Illinois history come January, when the 2011 income tax increase partially expires on schedule. But that’s about the only bright side. And, really, pretty much nobody expects that some…
Blazing trails the right way
Volunteers at the Lewis Memorial trail. PHOTO BY KEVIN GREENE Ever since humans could stand upright and walk, they would create paths to destinations that attracted them out of necessity or curiosity. Except for paved roads, things have changed little in some places where walkers or some cyclists trample through fields and woods. Such trails,…
An end to ‘planned abandonment’ of kids
Illinois lawmakers voted to end a practice known as “planned abandonment” of adopted kids, but the state’s poor fiscal condition will likely limit the state’s ability to enact the change. The Illinois General Assembly approved a bill during the spring legislative session that bans the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services from requiring foster…
Fracking fast track bill defeated
Illinois is taking too long to approve regulations for a controversial oil and gas drilling method, according to a coalition of businesses. They simply asked lawmakers to speed things up with legislation to circumvent the rulemaking process. The bill infuriated many environmental groups and ignited a flurry of calls to legislators that killed the bill…
dialoguepoem #4
dialoguepoem #4 “We were just married,” Harlan the herdsman told me, “and we’d moved into the apartment over the milkhouse. They were butchering. Grampa Dougan climbed the stairs, knocked, and stood there holding the cow’s tail – long, brown, the white hairy plume on its end, the bloody stump at the top. He handed it…
Letters to the editor 6/5/14
SEPARATION OF PRAYER AND STATE Regarding the opinion piece “Exclude me in your prayers,” by James Krohe Jr. in Illinois Times (May 29), I don’t believe anyone’s right to practice their religion would be adversely affected by banning opening prayers in governmental meetings, whether local, state or federal. On the other hand, such banning would…
A student of beauty
Dr. Rosina Neginsky in her Paris apartment. PHOTO BY BORIS GESSEL Some philosophers and psychologists think we are “hardwired for beauty”: it “inspires and motivates us.” Rosina Neginsky has spent her lifetime learning about, experiencing and understanding beauty, and the role of beauty in reflecting the values of cultures across time and across political and…
Asking voters’ opinions
State leaders are asking the public’s advice when it comes to increasing the minimum wage, taxing millionaires and including contraception in health insurance coverage. Three bills awaiting the governor’s signature would put “advisory referendums” on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. An advisory referendum means the legislature can use the results to judge whether a…
The Romantics
Who among us have not heard the songs “Talking in Your Sleep” or “What I Like About You” by The Romantics? Not merely huge hits for this long-lived, much-maligned and now utterly enjoyed Detroit-based quartet, those songs were and are played by almost every cover band in every town in America as staples guaranteed to…
Tomorrow stumbles
Tom Cruise as Major William Cage There’s no question that Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow is a solid one hour and 40 minute movie. Too bad it runs one hour and 53 minutes. Smart, funny, exciting and thought provoking, like all good science fiction should, the film delivers everything you could want and more from…
Has America gone crazy?
It might appear that the U-S-of-A has gone bonkers. So let me clear up any confusion that you might have: Yes, it has! Yet, it hasn’t. More on that in a moment. First, though – whether looking at the “tea party” congress critters who’ve swerved our nation’s political debate to the hard right, or at…
Springfield considers inspector general
Having an inspector general isn’t necessarily a badge of honor. Consider governmental entities in Illinois that have them. Cook County has two, one for the circuit clerk and the other for the rest of county government. The state of Illinois has five. Chicago has four, with another who oversees city colleges. And, judging by a…
SOHO turns 10 and more
Quique Gomez performs at Thirdbase Sports Bar on Saturday, June 7. Here we are roaring into June as the music begins to pile up all over town. Decisions must be made as to where to attend. I pity the poor music goer forced to make such hard choices. The SOHO festival began a decade ago…
SINK OR SWIM
Floating is a good thing when it comes to having fun in the water. That’s why the Springfield Lake Shore Improvement Association, Scheels, Land of Lincoln Power Squadron and City Water, Light and Power are teaming up to form a lifejacket loaner program at Lake Springfield. The improvement association has purchased 15 lifejackets at a…
RAPTURE RALLY
Interested in the apocalypse? Enthralled by the end times? Or maybe just interested in what some Christians believe about the end of the world as we know it? An estimated 400 people are coming to Springfield in early June to talk about the rapture prophesied in the Bible. Springfield First Baptist Church is hosting the…
Abracadabra acts
We can’t remember the last magic show to come to town. So we’re excited to have An Evening of Magic at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, June 7. Six nationally known magicians are appearing, including 17-year-old Trent James. Touted as having a “fresh approach to magic, charismatic personality and hip style” that has won him…
Everything Indian
Here’s a great reason to drive east from Springfield this Friday night, June 6, to Madden Arts Center. The Decatur Area Arts Council is hosting an event for the opening of its newest exhibit, Native American Art: Splendid Heritage, and it promises to be fun and inspiring. Honoring the Native American culture, activities include Jo…
Are we having fund yet?
I’m a single mother with a 12-year-old son. Four years ago, when my boyfriend fell in love with me, he would buy me clothes and jewelry. He also promised to build a house for my son and me to live in. (We can’t live with him, because he repairs motorcycles from home and it’s loud…
A fresh Mexican summer feast
Fiesta salad makes a great summer Mexican meal. PHOTO BY DAVID HINE This menu bursts with bright flavors showcasing seasonal summer vegetables. The tangy orange-based chicken marinade hails from the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The chicken can be eaten in pieces or shredded to use in soft tacos along with the grilled vegetables. The salad…
Oh so d’oh!
Curses, foiled againPolice charged Shanwaz Khan, 30, with being the brains behind a car-theft ring in Birmingham, England, after he attracted their attention by driving a $90,000 Audi with the personalized license plates “S2OLUN” (stolen). “This was a clear jibe at the authorities,” Detective Constable Mo Azir said after investigators who noticed his car traced…
Give minorities a green reason to vote
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Campaign for Communities, which created a coalition of Latino, African American, low-income and environmental organizations working to educate, register and turn out voters using environmental issues as motivation. During the 2004 and 2008 election cycles, we registered hundreds of thousands of voters and turned out more – all…
Ideal identities
The first event of the University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Experience Speakers Series is the film Two Spirits. Nominated for a GLAAD Media Award 2012, the documentary tells the story of young Navajo Fred Martinez who was murdered in a hate crime. Fred was what the Navajo call a nadleehi or male-bodied person with…
