State showdown
Illinois’ Got Talent is brought to Springfield by the same folks that put on the Miss Illinois Teen and Pre-teen Pageant held Sunday at the Hoogland, the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association, in association with Dolphin Entertainment. In fact for $40, you can attend both events. Along the lines of America’s Got Talent and other reality…
Outdoor gigs
Singer/songwriter Tom Irwin opens the season for the Springfield Area Arts Council’s Artist on the Plaza summer music series. These noon-hour concerts held from June 1 to Sept. 2 outside on the Old Capitol Plaza located between Fifth and Sixth streets at Adams are wonderful opportunities to take a sack lunch to work, find a…
Music out of doors
Some ancient and deep desire must come forth in the warm weather that forces humans outside to listen to music. Perhaps the old days of dancing around the fire and drumming across the hills linger on within our collective psyche. Maybe it’s an innate need to share a common heritage of melody and beat among…
Summer onstage brings classics and comedies
An abundance of exciting and fun theater takes place on area stages this summer. It is interesting to see how summer theater fare has changed in recent years. In years past, summer theater was all comedies and musicals. Those are still with us, but there is quite a list of new and little-known works, as…
Soldier stories
Korean War soldiers are remembered at the Presidential Museum with a series of June programs titled, “Korean War POWs: A Tragedy in Three Acts.” Oral Historian Dr. Mark R. DePue presents three PowerPoint presentations on the first three Thursdays of the month. Also on June 3 and 10, a book signing will be held by…
Eliminating the ‘pre-existing’ problem
Without federal health care reform, almost 2.5 million Illinoisans would be at risk of losing their health insurance, a new report says. The report, released by the Campaign for Better Health Care, says 23 percent of Illinois residents have a pre-existing condition that could lead to a denial of coverage in the individual insurance market.…
Plan a summer getaway to the Gateway City
It’s known for its 630-foot arch that greets you upon entrance to its city, a site to behold. The “Gateway City” has much to offer. From festivals and fairs to amusement parks, concerts and museums, a trip to St. Louis is sure to keep you and your family busy during those dog days of summer.…
The summer of rock
We know you audiophiles are mourning. Ameren’s Summer Serenades fizzled out and the Washington Street Jazz Festival is no more, but fear not. There’s still a hundred ways to rock your eardrums this summer, and Illinois Times is here to help you sort through the options. This year’s SOHO Music Festival packs 24 bands in…
AFRICA IN SPRINGFIELD
The two-year-old Nigeria Association of Greater Springfield welcomes all to join the fun of their Memorial Day outing. Organizers estimate there are 200 residents of Springfield from the most populous African nation, and the Nigeria Association is setting goals, gaining members and becoming an active presence in town. The event is 4 p.m. Saturday, May…
Pressed foccacia sandwich
I made this sandwich in many variations when catering lunches. It’s a family favorite for picnics, tailgating – movie or otherwise – or roadtrip meals. 1 8-10-inch plain or herbed round foccacia About 1lb. meat such as thinly sliced steak, roasted or grilled chicken, ham, salami, mortadella, roast beef, etc. Or use grilled tofu or…
Bike and run for fitness and fun
There’s no better way to blow off steam and stay in shape than running or biking this fair city. And whether you need a little help working the winter kinks out of your joints, or you’re simply looking for a way to dissipate some of your boundless energy, Springfield’s biggest running and biking groups have…
Isaac Ellwood, Illinois king of the barbed wire
Most of us know the song “Don’t fence me in.” For those in the late 1800s who owned cattle, fencing them in was part of the ever shrinking range mentality and the “stay in your own pasture” one. One Illinois gentleman, Isaac Ellwood, made his fortune in barbed wire. Lucky for us, we can tour…
Marinated shrimp and melon skewers
Make this recipe when fragrant local melons are in season for an especially delectable treat. Bamboo skewers are infinitely versatile: good for grilling, but equally useful for threading pre-cooked or uncooked items to be eaten as finger food, with or without dips. 36 shrimp, deveined, peeled (peel the tail also), and cooked 2 T. minced…
Making Springfield a better place
“‘Intellectual oasis’ might be asking the venerable place to shoulder more weight than it could plausibly bear, but homage is overdue.” I was trading anecdotes about Shadid’s when Michael Skube said that. He is the Eastsider who went from a cub reporter covering prep games for the old Illinois State Journal to book critic for…
Freedom is not free
“Freedom is not free” writes William W. (Bill) Smith of Quincy whenever he signs his book, A Moment in Time. Bill speaks with considerable authority on the subject of freedom, having spent two and a half years in a North Korean prisoner of war camp. He survived the ordeal, but nearly half of those who…
Explore central Illinois
The sun is shining, the sky is blue and it’s time for summer family fun. Pack for a picnic and head out in the car for a fun day under the Illinois sky. Let Illinois Times and a black ribbon of road be your guides. Historic Barns of McDonough County McDonough County, which centers on…
Top tours
Things are looking up. Don’t miss your chance to look up at one of Downtown Springfield, Inc.’s free professionally-led walking tours where you can discover architectural facts about the design of our fair city. IHPA Project Designer Anthony Rubano provides an interesting and colorful 90-minute exploration that begins in front of the Lincoln Herndon Law…
Coalition taking on issues of older neighborhoods
The house at 826 N. Fourth Street has seen better days, and by Steve Combs’ account, it should have seen its last day more than three years ago. Siding hangs precariously from the squat little house as the exposed, unshingled roof sheeting rots away. Saplings grow from the foundation while weeds taller than a meter…
Dinner and a movie under the stars
It was one of my special childhood summertime treats: The Route 66 Drive In on South Sixth Street. Truthfully, most of my remembrances are less about the movies than the playground. Its main attraction was a miniature Ferris wheel; the rest was common playground equipment. What made it extra-special was that everything had been painted…
Letters to the Editor 05/27/2010
NOISE A HEALTH HAZARDColumnist James Krohe Jr. in his thoughtful article on boom cars and noise [see “Noise about noise,” by James Krohe Jr., May 20] had not emphasized the fact that noise is more than an annoyance – it is a health hazard! The academic literature is replete with studies demonstrating that noise can adversely…
Who’ll win the 2010 “Icky” award?
It’s not nearly as well known as an Emmy or Grammy, but the annual awarding of the “Icky” often produces high drama, fierce competition and gasps of surprise. This coveted corporate prize goes to the group of CEOs whose performances in the past 12 months exhibit the best combination of greediness, goofiness and grossness. Of…
farmerpoem #9
just had word a close friend in theseed business near janesville hasdecided to throw his whole operationin with funks — a big national seedcorn company — and discontinuewisconsin strains entirely. this isa blow because we were growingfor each other and working ondevelopment. john holmes’ dairysold out to a rockford firm the firstof the month looks…
Raise a glass to nearby winemaking
More than 100 years ago, Illinois was the fourth largest wine-producing state in the nation. Now the Treasury Department holds Illinois responsible for just 72,000 of the more than 41 million gallons bottled in February of 2010. While other states may have surpassed ours, the industry in Illinois is actually a growing one. Thirteen years…
MacGruber short on ammo
As stupid as they are, I always get a kick out of the short “MacGruber” spots on “Saturday Night Live.” This “MacGyver” parody is a one-joke gag – Will Forte tries to defuse a bomb, though being distracted, he’s blown to bits every time – though it’s still amusing due to the performer’s over-earnest approach.…
The Emerald Underground
Normally this space is reserved for “Springfield’s Celtic house band” during the week of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, but the show at Celtic Mist’s monthly “Hooley” on Thursday is a special one for this Celtic-rock group. The band plays on but the members change and the present incarnation of The Emerald Underground is no more…
Paying for preservation
Springfield’s aging homes and office buildings have another pillar of support, as the Sangamon County Community Foundation announced the creation of a new historic preservation fund on May 21. The fund aims to provide financial assistance to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations looking to preserve historic buildings (more than 50 years old) within city limits.…
ILLINOISANS IMAGINEERING
Being trapped inside a computer is the stuff of 80s science fiction movies for most, but four students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are trying to make it a reality. They’re designing a theme park ride inspired by the 1982 Disney movie Tron. Marchelle Gant, who grew up in Springfield, will join her…
The summerlong guide
Old Capitol Farmers Market8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 30 The excuses not to eat fresh, healthier and local just got fewer in number. Old Capitol Farmers Market spreads its bountiful harvest on the streets of downtown Springfield farther than ever. Downtown Springfield Inc.’s market manager, Ann Frescura, announced that this…
Danger: Too many crossings
Like a giant iron cradle, the antiquated railroad car gently sways to the click-clack and steam whistle of the lumbering train. Outside, clanging bells and flashing red lights announce the train’s arrival at every crossing. It is there, at the railroad crossing, that danger lurks for the inattentive and the foolhardy – those who try…
Jason, just release those tax returns
Twenty years ago, Secretary of State Jim Edgar and Attorney General Neil Hartigan ran for governor against each other. Both men released their tax returns without much fanfare. Four years later, Gov. Jim Edgar and his opponent Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch both released their tax returns. It wasn’t much of a story. Then, in 1998,…
The 10 top flicks of the season
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, more than 80 different films will be released in North American movie theaters. Some will fly under the radar, with total budgets amounting to less than what’s spent on advertising for a studio blockbuster. Others will be so overhyped it will seem like they’ve been in theaters long before…
Time for Shrek to stay away
Fish and certain guests tend to wear out their welcome after three days. Similarly, it is the rare film franchise that does not start to become threadbare after its third entry. The Shrek series certainly did begin to wear a bit thin during Shrek the Third and sadly, Shrek Forever After continues that trend. The…
