HE CONNECTED PEOPLE AND PLANTS
A garden is an intensely personal, beautiful place, and even public gardens provide a place for appreciation and introspection. A Peoria-area man who devoted his life to the proliferation of beautiful natural spaces recently received a posthumous award for his commitment to horticulture and philanthropy. Thomas D. Hoerr, Sr., former president of Green View Companies,…
Letters to the Editor 05/13/2010
DANCE SPRINGFIELDWhat a thrill to see the article “Dancing without the stars” by Julie Cellini [May 6]. My wife and I were also honored to have been included in this story. Sharon and I have been fortunate to work with and under instructors Pat Lytakker and Kim Beachy. On behalf of all dancers and instructors,…
Walkies
Families and their well-behaved furry friends are invited to Stuart Park, north of the intersection of Route 97 and Veteran’s Parkway along Winch Road, for a romp in the park and more as Capitol Canine Training Club celebrates its 45th year. Walk the sunny and shaded paths leisurely. Allow your dog to run an obstacle…
Rhubarb upside down cake
Pie may be the quintessential rhubarb dessert, but this upside-down cake also is a delicious showcase for it. Whenever a recipe calls for brown sugar, I almost always use the dark brown, because it has more flavor. (Incidentally, Meijer’s own brand of dark brown sugar is significantly darker – and more flavorful– than any other…
Opponents: New sex offender laws won’t help
Two state bills beefing up Illinois’ sex offender laws await only the governor’s signature to become law. But some groups say the legislation would waste money and fail to prevent future sex crimes. Senate Bill 3084, known as the retroactive sex offender registration bill, would require lifetime registration for certain sex crimes committed more than…
Both sides to blame for the budget mess
One of the things that became crystal clear last week during the Illinois Senate’s debate over a new state budget was that the Democratic legislative leaders have completely broken the budget-making process. It’s no big secret that more and more power has been concentrated into the hands of the leaders, the House speaker and the…
Drummers’ delight
What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer. How many drummers does it take to screw in a light bulb? None. They have machines to do that now. What’s the difference between a drummer and a drum machine? You only have to punch the information into a drum machine once. How…
Scots/Irish party
The St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois Pipes and Drums will play at the Springfield Highland Games competing against almost 20 other bands from around the country. Held in Chatham for the first time, the Games and Festival also offers competitions in ancient athletic events and highland dance, and has public participation events such as…
laundrysong from the
(enter washarolla anddryarolla chanting:wash-a-chug, wash-a-chugfluff’n’dry, fluff’n’dry) washarolla (sings):bring your dirty dudsto the washarollato the soap and sudsof the washarollaput your laundry inI begin to spinagitate, agitate, agitate dryarolla (sings):bring your drippy dudsto the dryarollathe warmth and fuzzof the dryarollaput your laundry inI begin to spinfluff’n’dry, fluff’n’dry,fluff’n’dry (both sing):bring your dirty dudsto the washarollabring your drippy…
Golden anniversary of the pill
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the approval of the birth control pill by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1960. As even golden anniversaries go, this is a big one. The pill, which was first manufactured in Illinois by G.D. Searle and Company, literally changed everything for women. This anniversary should both…
The Breathing Process
Hailing from a region of Connecticut and western Massachusetts called Connectivania by this six-member rock band, the group claims to “introduce elements of epic ambience and melody unseen by most bands in today’s realm of heavy music.” Relentless touring coupled with a penchant for the grandiose both musically and lyrically earned the group praise for…
HUNDRED DOLLAR HOUSE
One hundred dollars doesn’t go very far anymore, but it can still buy a house – if you’re lucky. The Springfield Area Homebuilders Association is raffling off a $250,000 house for charity, and that crisp Benjamin Franklin in your wallet could be the key to open the door. The grand prize winner will get to…
Wall Street profits, subsidies and lobbyists
Wall Street bankers are strutting around like little banty roosters these days, crowing about the phenomenal profits their banks are raking in. Citigroup has just announced that its profits for just the first three months of this year totaled an incredible $4.4 billion, Goldman Sachs’ haul was $3.5 billion, JPMorgan Chase grabbed $3.3 billion and…
Bill will curb mercury pollution
Illinois environmentalists, manufacturers and lawmakers are turning up the heat in the fight against mercury pollution. The Mercury Thermostat Control Act, passed unanimously by the House and Senate, requires manufacturers to collect and recycle the mercury in older thermostats. Mercury, an element in the earth’s crust that expands in response to changes in temperature or…
ObamaComics
“I’ve caught a lot of flak for it,” says Springfield resident Chris Ward, author of the nonfiction comic book Barack Obama. “It’s just divisive by nature. I get people saying, ‘Wait a minute, are you making fun of the president?’ But other people are like, ‘I hope you’re making fun of him enough.’ I tried…
All the Midwest’s a Stage
If you were to stop four random strangers on a St. Louis street and ask for their opinion of William Stage’s book Fool for Life (Floppinfish) the question might elicit the following responses: • What a heart-warming story — I loved it!• Jeez, that guy’s kind of a prick.• Go Cards!• You mean the…
Start here
If you haven’t seen the new clock tower above the renovated Union Station, a station that now houses a visitor’s center among other organizations, this is the weekend to visit both. Area tourist attractions and tourism agencies will have exhibits set up with gift drawings that you can enter, including prizes such as Amtrak or…
Steal these ideas
“To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything.” Abraham Lincoln uttered those words in his famous farewell speech to Springfield almost 150 years ago. Since then, Springfield has undergone numerous transformations, riding the tide of change while retaining the pioneer spirit that settled this area in 1818. As the 21st century…
Rusty first act can’t slow down Iron Man 2
While the surprise success of Jon Favreau’s Iron Man generated a great many positives for all involved, the downside has come home to roost, namely how do you top the original? To be sure, the director and screenwriter Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder) doesn’t shrink from the task, offering up a story for the sequel that…
Yielding to nonsense
A General Assembly unable to pass the laws that are needed must pass something, and so busies itself passing laws that are not. One of these is Illinois House Bill 43, which in round figures demands that drivers must stop to allow a pedestrian to cross a street via any crosswalk. As I write it…
Rhapsody for rhubarb
Rhubarb: it’s a leafy vegetable that makes such delicious pie that early Americans called it “the pie plant.” It’s a beautiful perennial in the garden: forming a four- or five-foot mound of ruffled leaves with glimpses of ruby red stalks underneath. In spring, huge stalks of flowers shoot forth; both in bud and flower, they…
Rhubarb mostarda
Mostarda – sometimes called Mostarda di frutta – is a classic Italian condiment. It is somewhat like a chutney in that it combines fruit and a savory element. In mostardas that element is mustard. It’s a traditional accompaniment to Bollito Misto (mixed boil), a wintertime dish of an assortment of boiled meats; more recently it’s…
