now playing 6-9-05
The Bottle Rockets have a new bass player. And what’s so special about that, you ask? Well, the newest member of the critically acclaimed and fan-appreciated alt-country group from Festus, Mo., is Keith Voegele of Springfield. Mr. Voegele — or Stingray, as I like to call him — came our way from St. Louis in…
movie review
A great deal of carnage, of both the physical and emotional varieties, takes place in Doug Liman’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a high-concept commentary on the state of modern marriage. The offscreen shenanigans of the film’s two stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, have overshadowed the film itself, so much so that the whole affair has…
flicks 6-9-05
Jane Fonda’s appearance in Monster-in-Law, after a 15-year absence, has inspired some extreme responses. Detractors have resurrected the “Hanoi Jane” label because of her anti-war activities during the Vietnam War; her fans treat it as the triumphant return of one of Hollywood’s screen legends. I really can’t support either view. Granted, going to North Vietnam…
The coming storm
The Chicago media declared Gov. Rod Blagojevich a winner after the spring legislative session ended last week. Adjourning the session by May 31 and, for a change, getting along with other Democrats, upholding his promise not to raise taxes, and coming up with lots of new programs and comprehensive medical-malpractice reform made him look pretty…
sound patrol 6-9-05
Being a feminist rock fan is a lot like being a gay Republican — theoretically possible but, in practice, often demeaning. If you insist on living out the oxymoron, be prepared to embrace contradiction, if not outright abuse. Rock & roll, after all, is rooted in the ritualistic celebration of male sexuality: Elvis’ pelvis; Chuck’s…
Building Springfield
“Let every street be made a reverent aisleWhere Music grows and Beauty is unchained.” — Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, “On the Building of Springfield” Vachel Lindsay would be pleased with the town Springfield is becoming. If Lincoln is our first son, who placed us on the map with words and deeds of universal wisdom, then Lindsay,…
art seen 6-9-05
For 40 years, John T. Crisp Jr. has been known on the East Side for his art and for his work in youth education. In the past, when people west of 11th Street wanted to interact with artists of color, they came to him. Crisp, who grew up on the East Side (“Back then, if…
quick takes 6-9-05
TALESPINNER TAKES TO THE AIR Local writer and Illinois Times contributor Roberta Codemo is the host of a new storytelling show that airs at 3 p.m. each Monday on WQNA (88.3 FM). The two-hour program, named Tale Bites, features an interview segment with a guest, then an hour of stories, including fairy tales, folks tales, and…
The natural
Just when I thought I’d heard everything, I get this plea from a high-ranking Springfield Police Department official, begging me not to write about a certain officer. “Please don’t write about Matt Fricke,” he says. “You’re gonna scare everybody away.” By now, I’m accustomed to brass trying to shoo me off when I’m inquiring about…
appetite 6-9-05
The trend of all-you-can-eat dining in Springfield continues, now on an even bigger scale. The International Buffet is the latest restaurant in town to give people the option of grazing on anything from sushi and General Tso’s chicken to pizza and frog legs. At one time, the Heritage House was the king of the all-you-can-eat…
letters 6-9-05
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING Thanks for Jason Mark’s article [“Harvesting Chaos,” May…
A federal offense
A Colorado congressman plans to introduce a bill making it a federal crime to fraudulently claim to have earned certain military medals. Sponsored by John T. Salazar, a Democrat and a veteran, the bill would extend penalties now applicable only to fraudulent Medal of Honor cases to people who falsely claim a second tier of…
Road to court
After years of conflict surrounding a tiny lane, the Hope School has sued Woodside Township and its road commissioner, Don Duffy. Filed June 1, the lawsuit comes after the city of Springfield spent more than $225,000 on the design and construction of a three-lane road to create a new entrance to the school, which is…
history talk 6-9-05
In the hot summer of 1904, Springfield photographer Guy Mathis sallied forth from his downtown offices above Coe’s Book Store at Fifth and Monroe streets in his brand-new Cadillac to photograph the officers and men of the 7th Regiment of the Illinois National Guard. These guardsmen, known as the “Irish Brigade” of Chicago, were at…
health wise 6-9-05
In a home on the west side of Springfield, I recently met with a group of five local reiki practitioners. Their walks of life vary, but one thing they have in common is a passion about how the practice of reiki has changed their lives and how it can positively affect others. Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is…
Something that matters
Eric Anglada wakes up at 6:30 a.m., before the noise of the day starts. At this early hour, he is the only one awake. His small room is furnished with a desk, a small dresser, a bed with navy-blue covers, and bookshelves. The only flashy thing here is the color scheme: Soon after he moved…
Jacqueline Jackson 6-9-05
clutterpoem #1 you have to look to your heroes mine is nobel laureate alan guth who says I would rather keep a pile of junk assuming there is something there I want than throw the whole thing away and regret it he is pictured in his MIT office awash in a paper sea I am…
common sense 6-9-05
It’s good to have Republicans in charge of several state governments, as well as our national government, because we can always count on them to take care of our country’s big problems — such as making sure that the wages of working people stay low. Of course, President George W. Bush and the congressional GOP…
