Harvesting chaos
Most keyboard jockeys would die for the view from Orin Martin’s office window: apple trees in blossom, lines of citrus, dozens of varieties of flowers, and neat rows of peppers, garlic, and potatoes. Martin is a farmer in Santa Cruz, Calif., where for the last 30 years he has been an instructor at the University…
quick takes 5-19-05
FROM THE FRONT LINES Sister Marie Therese Hanna, who led the St. Catherine of Sienna Dominican congregation in Mosul, Iraq, for 12 years, is visiting Springfield to talk about life in war-torn Iraq. A reception for her will be held at 7 p.m. today (Thursday, May 19) in the Aquinas Center at the Dominican Motherhouse,…
common sense 5-19-05
George W. Bush likes to strut around declaring that he’s a bold leader who’s unafraid to tackle big problems. So where’s His Boldness on the gargantuan problem of America’s addiction to high-priced, high-polluting oil? We recently saw the ballyhooed release of his “new energy program,” which wasn’t new at all and does practically nothing to…
Can’t take the heat
House Speaker Michael Madigan last year sent a clear message to Gov. Rod Blagojevich when he brought all of the governor’s highly unpopular tax and fee hikes to the floor for up-or-down votes. The governor’s bills all lost by overwhelming margins, and Blagojevich was forced to back down from his demand that Madigan pass his…
Medical District worries
Last week’s first of three public planning meetings on the comprehensive plan for the Springfield Medical District drew a big crowd and a healthy discussion. The professionals from RTKL Associates Inc., which has offices in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, and other major cities, gave a nice presentation with interesting facts that they have accumulated so far.…
sound patrol 5-19-05
Few things in life are certain, but it’s safe to say that the Kronos Quartet will never put out a bad album. It’s equally likely that you’d never hear about it one way or the other, though, because you, poor, patronized reader/consumer, aren’t supposed to care about contemporary string quartets. Never mind that Kronos has…
flicks 5-19-05
Director Ridley Scott now seems to be mired in the past. The overwhelming success of Gladiator (2000) led Scott into the Crusades with Kingdom of Heaven, which is now in theaters. He is also attached to the upcoming projects Captain Kidd, Tripoli, and Gladiator 2. That is quite a turn of events for a filmmaker…
art seen 5-19-05
Almost every artist I’ve interviewed for this column has explained how he or she made a connection to the visual arts early in life. To better understand how an elementary-school art class might influence that early focus, I recently visited with Shirley Frankowiak, who has taught art going on 30 years. “Miss Frank,” as her…
Consider the alternative
Like many communities, San Antonio, Texas, has a split personality, says Latina student activist DeAnne Cuellar. Although Hispanics account for 70 percent of the population, they show up time and again in local news not for their achievements or leadership but in stories portraying crime, drugs, and violence. “We felt misrepresentation is erasing our history,…
movie review
Too bad multiplexes don’t come equipped with fast-forward buttons for audiences: They’d come in handy for viewers of the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Plenty of special-effect sequences clutter the film and would be worth skipping to get to the heart of the story. In a sense,…
Jacqueline Jackson 5-19-05
grandchildpoem #2 it’s an odd sensation to be at the helm says my brother-in-law I’m now the oldest of my line I tell him about rachel bustling into daycare this is my grandma she is very old she’s going to die she’s not going to be here very long I think I’ll be around a…
What’s in a name?
About six weeks ago, a new radio station with an intriguing shtick popped up on the Springfield spectrum. ABE-FM, located at 93.9, where WMHX used to peddle soft adult contemporary, made a couple of tantalizing promises: to play 10,000 songs in a row, not only commercial-free but also free from the stylistic shackles that define…
The great adventure
Ask Dayle Eldredge why she left Springfield for Elkhart, a tiny community 25 miles north of the capital city, and her answer is simple: “My soul needed a small town.” Eldredge, who stepped down last week as village president of Elkhart, adds, “It’s such a sweet community; I just love it.” Even sweet places have…
now playing 5-19-05
Local music trio Lost and Found recently released a new CD, As You Sow. In a unique and wonderful approach to dealing with music business profits, the group will donate proceeds from CD sales to the local Habitat for Humanity. The band formed in 2002 to showcase songwriter and band leader Dennis Darling’s original works…
The Prosecution Complex
With the growing number of exonerations in recent years, it is obvious that Illinois has seen more than its share of individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and given long prison sentences or the death penalty by our courts. When those convictions and sentences were handed down, law enforcement and prosecutors celebrated the virtues of…
Last straw
Candidates for Springfield police and firefighter jobs will no longer be screened by Dr. Michael Campion, the psychologist whose conservative views drew criticism from two aldermen. Under a new contract awarded by City Council on Tuesday night, future first-responder job applicants will be screened by St. Louis psychologist Dr. Paul Detrick. Detrick is director of…
earth talk 5-19-05
Dear “Earth Talk”: What environmental and health issues, if any, are associated with cut flowers? — Olivia Clark, Seattle, Wash. More than half of all cut flowers sold in the United States at florists and supermarket chains are imported. Holland is the largest source; several Latin American countries, including Colombia and Ecuador, vie for second…
gardening 5-19-05
Butterflies add surprise, beauty, color, and motion to a garden. Why not invite them into your back yard? Planting a butterfly garden not only attracts these beautiful creatures but is also a great way for children to learn about the life cycle of butterflies and develop an interest in nature. Luring and maintaining a butterfly…
excursions 5-19-05
Before and during the Civil War, the Underground Railroad in Illinois played a major role in guiding runaway slaves from the states where they were governed by the whip and gun to the states where they were governed by their free will. To share that story in detail, the Sangamon County Historical Society is sponsoring…
letters 5-19-05
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 “YARD TO NATURE” NOT “YARD TO YARD” I am sure that most…
music notes 5-19-05
In Springfield, beer gardens are like the famed Midwest morel mushrooms: they’re hard to find, pop up in the spring, and become no good when it gets too hot outside. Drop by the Alamo (115 N. Fifth St., 523-1455) for a garden full of music every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. beginning with the…
capital voices 5-19-05
The downtown park bench is well located for cigar smokers, just far enough off the ordinary path to be away from the condescending stares of nonsmokers. I watched him approach. Each slow and delicate step seemed thought out in advance. Even at a distance, I could tell he’d targeted my spot. He was well dressed,…
