Christmas at the Capitol
Reading through the recently approved state capital plan is a bit like going on a 362-page Easter egg hunt. Roof repairs. Window replacement. Wastewater infrastructure improvements. Road construction. Creation of endangered bumblebee habitat. Huh? Well, bees are important, as are birds, which is why lawmakers from both parties set aside $200,000 for the former and…
Pritzker pushes his agenda
The governor and his top staff showed again last week that they can make things happen under the Statehouse dome. To corral 73 votes for a graduated income tax constitutional amendment in a 74-member House Democratic caucus accustomed to extreme coddling and over-protecting its more politically vulnerable members was quite something. Nobody was left off…
Letters to the Editor 5/6/19
OFFENSIVE TERM I was quite interested to learn of Oscar Wilde’s visit to Springfield in your recent story (“Springfield, the entertainment capital, 1800s-style,” May 30). However, I was disappointed and frustrated to see the word “homosexual” used in the story. Here is the GLAAD (an organization founded by LGBT people in the media) media guide…
Editor’s note 6/6/19
Almost overlooked during the flood of legislation coming out of the Statehouse was the May 31 tentative agreement on a new contract between AFSCME, the 40,000-member state employee union, and the Pritzker administration. If approved, it will be the first contract in four years. “Illinois has turned another important page from years of brutal ideological…
The key to democracy? Persuasion.
I am lucky enough these days to be in regular touch with young people – students – who are interested in public service. I find hope in their quality, energy and motivation, and they press me to think more deeply about what it takes to pursue a life in the public realm. In trying to…
Cotton candy and country music
The folks at the Sangamon County Fair are in high gear right now, getting ready to kick off the six-day gem that is one of the highlights of summer in these parts. The fair crew does a great job of producing events and attractions that are the quintessence of classic Midwestern county fairs – livestock…
Autism Support of Central Illinois
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex developmental disability the signs of which typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Those with autism are often highly sensitive to their environment – their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste can all be easily overloaded. The local…
“Illinois is back”
Minutes after the Senate put the final touches on first-term Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s sweeping legislative agenda Sunday, June 2, the governor addressed media and delivered a message: “Illinois is back.” “Today, the people of Illinois can be proud that we are putting state government back on the side of working families,” Pritzker said at…
Baseball contrasts
Having attended baseball games for many decades, I was reminded last week of how different the game is from that first game I attended in 1955. On Memorial Day weekend along with my son, son-in-law and grandson I visited Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals play the Atlanta Braves. This is the second Busch Stadium…
Please touch the art
“Please Touch the Art Gently” is not your typical sign posted in an art gallery. But, that is the message in a new exhibit at the Springfield Art Association from June 1-29. “What Art Feels Like” features metal and wood sculptures, paper, fiber, collage, glass, woodturning, ceramics and paintings made by 14 Illinois artists and…
Little fire in Dark Phoenix
“The women are always saving the men around here. You may want to think about changing the name from X-Men to X-Women.” So says defiant X-Women herself, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) in Dark Phoenix, signaling that the #MeToo movement has come to the franchise as well as a couple other significant changes. The intentions of one…
LoG Fest and more
This week brings us a downtown music fest, continued Levitt AMP concerts, a brilliant original recording release and some out-of-the-area singing fun. Plus the usual, and unusual, collection of bands around the town, nearby in other towns and whenever the live sounds take us. LoG Fest (the letters spell “log” as a Lincoln the Railsplitter…
Dan Hubbard
Hailing from Central Illinois and based up Bloomington-Normal way, singer-songwriter Dan Hubbard continues on his chosen path of a life in song with a new record called Attention. This one feeds off his last recording (done in 2016 with Ken Coomer, original Wilco drummer and now Nashville producer), developing themes of hope and loss, based…
Focaccia, the gateway bread
The heat of summer seems like an odd time to crank up the oven, but there’s never a better time for chewy, flavor-packed focaccia. This recipe was the gateway bread for me, introducing me to the immense satisfaction that comes from pulling a gorgeous, incredibly aromatic loaf out of the oven. A basket of warm…
advancing age poem # 4
advancing age poem # 4 I think I still have all my marbles but sometimes some of them roll under the table or bed and I find them somewhat difficult to retrieve 2019 Jacqueline Jackson
