Native scribes
Grab a coffee and bun before you visit with local authors at the library this Saturday, March 26. Books cover a wide range of subject matters and genres such as fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, World War II, African-American Federal Marshalls, Vietnam, and more. Spotlighted will be: Bob Moore, Tom Jones, George Heroux, Rodney Moore, Springfield…
Upgrade 3.11
The Illinois State Museum upgraded its facilities for children and launches the space March 26 as they cut the ceremonial ribbon at 9:30 a.m. to open the new Mary Ann MacLean Play Museum. Family-oriented entertainment, games, activities and crafts highlight an entire day of fun throughout the museum. Watch magicians and jugglers, hear storytellers, worm…
McMurtry meets the Bottle Rockets
For Sunday, March 27, Sean Burns, along with colorful cohorts Bill Wheelhouse of WUIS and Todd Egizi of E & F Distributors, landed a big one, hooking eminent singer-songwriter James McMurtry with his rocking trio the Heartless Bastards and roots-rocking Americana flag bearers the Bottle Rockets and their stalwart leader Brian Henneman for one hoot…
Michael Higgins, the chef as politician
“Of all the professions…few people are less suited to be suddenly thrown into the public eye than chefs.” —Anthony Bourdain in his bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain wrote those words in 2000. His point was that the denizens of restaurant kitchens’ controlled chaos and crazy hours were unlikely candidates for celebrity. But the intervening years…
Spotlight on Ice
What do an Olympic figure skater, your favorite musicals and the greatest family entertainment in the area have in common? If you’re thinking of the Ice Capades then you’re in for a seasonal, local treat. For all you figure skating lovers and skater wannabes, it’s that time of year again. Every spring Springfield’s own skating…
Slavery in the shadow of Lincoln
Playwright Charlayne Woodard has something in common with her characters. Like Oh Beah, Mercy, Ezra, Alma, and Nate – the five slaves in Flight’s ensemble – Woodard is compelled to tell a story. To do so, she had to dig through her own life…twice. Woodard, who trained at Chicago’s Goodman School of Drama, is a…
Candidates eager to lead District 186
On April 5, voters in four of seven sub-districts will be asked to choose who they want representing them on District 186’s school board for the next two years. The 10 candidates, all of whom participated in a recent Springfield Parents for Public Schools forum, have varied backgrounds and professions but all say their past…
Backing away from legalized video poker
A big question on a lot of Statehouse minds right now is: Why would Senate President John Cullerton all of a sudden decide to string out his members yet again on a dollar a pack cigarette tax hike when he surely knows that the House will kill it for the umpteenth time? Cullerton wants to…
America’s true crisis
The greatest problem our nation faces can be summed up in one word: leadership. OK, make that three words: lack of leadership. America’s corporate, political, media, academic and other leaders aren’t. They’re not leaders because they refuse to stand tall, be bold, offer vision, inspire and … well, lead. We’ve got too many 5-watt bulbs…
Accountability depends on sunshine laws
Let’s face it. The government really doesn’t want you, the taxpayer, knowing what it’s doing with your money. It really doesn’t. In the newspaper business, we deal with it all the time. A police department won’t release an arrest record. A school district fires a superintendent and pays him a six-figure settlement but won’t say…
‘I’m all right, Jack.’
Years ago, when I kept an office downtown, prurient curiosity caused me to drop by the PO every once in a while to check out the creeps on the FBI’s latest Ten Most Wanted list posted in the lobby. These days I look forward to the release of Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s…
Letters to the Editor 03/24/11
COST OF CUTSRegarding “Quinn makes shameful cuts to child care,” by Rich Miller, Feb. 10: I am a home daycare provider. I have a family with three children. The mother, 27 years old, is going to nursing school full time and the school is an hour away. She is also working full time. People like…
wisconsin politico poem #2
“What’s disgusting?” “Union busting!”“What’s disgusting?” “Union busting!”your IT reporter is abroad today folkson the front line, the curb before thewisconsin school for the deaf in delavanour sign-bristling crowd is musteringpretty loud chants even though half thegang is hearing impaired they have drumsthough and are signing with vigor it washere my deafening grampa came to learnhand…
Minorities, women poorly represented on city payroll
Minorities are poorly represented in the City of Springfield’s work force, according to an Illinois Times analysis of city employment data, which shows that white workers make up more than 92 percent of city employees. Data filed by the City of Springfield with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show that as of June 30,…
The Legendary Drifters
The Legendary Drifters, a quality representation of the Drifters, one of the most dynamic and influential singing groups in rock ’n’ roll history, slide into town again after a superb performance last October. Sadly, all the founding members of the four-time Grammy-winning Drifters have passed on to sing classics such as, Under the Board Walk,…
Superlative soloist
Stanley Yates is sure to wow the audience with sound and technique at the Springfield Classical Guitar Association’s next concert March 26. Originally from Great Britain, Yates is an international concert performer, arranger, recording artist and award-winner who also directs the guitar program at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. His playing is critically acclaimed…
Labor unions balk at bargaining bill
Labor unions are continuing negotiations over legislation backed by Gov. Pat Quinn that would lift collective bargaining rights from current high-ranking state agency workers and legislative liaisons, as well as their right to apply for future union membership. “We strongly support union representation and collective bargaining for many state workers, but the system only works…
The Lincoln Lawyer presents a solid case
Like many others, I am a sucker for a good courtroom drama. While Brad Furman’s The Lincoln Lawyer will never be accused of being a classic of the genre, it’s good enough to tide us over until the next Anatomy of a Murder hits the big screen. This adaptation of the Michael Connelly potboiler has…
Limitless fails to reach its potential
Like a thoroughbred that busts out of the gate only to fade in the home stretch, Limitless gets off to a rousing start, providing an entertaining hour in which we follow a charming slacker, frustrated writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), who’s given NZT, a mysterious drug that turns him into a super genius overnight. Before…
Aldermania!
As Springfield heads to the polls April 5 for the general election, many voters will be focused on their choice for mayor. But just as important is the makeup of the city council, with 10 aldermen drawn from across the city. Together, their decisions will set the tone for Springfield’s future even after their four-year…
