A big push to end capital punishment
A group calling for the end of capital punishment in Illinois says it is within “striking distance” of passing its bill in the final days of the legislative session. The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) is pushing a bill that would eliminate capital punishment in Illinois, and the coalition’s leadership says this…
Gifts for gear heads
Auto aficionados tend to be a breed apart from mere motorists. No, motor oil does not course through their veins, but their interest in all things vehicular runs much deeper than that of the average driver. Tracking down gifts for a car-loving friend or relative can be a lot of fun. There are more nicely…
Patriot Guard watches over military funerals
About 100 somber men and women in black leather vests line every pathway in front of the cream-colored funeral home in Chatham. On every vest is a collection of colorful patches proclaiming the wearer’s religion, military service and other affiliations and creeds. Most arrived earlier that day on rumbling motorcycles, and each now holds an…
Thanksgiving Eve arrives
Several years ago here at Now Playing world headquarters we broke the story on Thanksgiving Eve being the biggest party night of the year in the bar and club scene. From reliable on location research admirably performed by this reporter it seemed lots of folks figured out the Night Before Thanksgiving was the best opportunity…
A flurry in the legislature could mean big stuff is coming
What started out as a slow state legislative veto session suddenly accelerated last Thursday. Senate President John Cullerton formed two new bipartisan committees and charged them with reforming workers compensation and Medicaid. The catch is that the committees must finish their work by Monday, Jan. 3. That means votes could be taken on workers comp…
musing poem #3
deep dusk I gaze down from thelittle cessna at the california roadsnow strings of bright moving beadsthe little towns puddles of lightthe big ones their mall areas awash spaced streetlamps tiny points and off in the dark hills here and there the single gleam of a house a barnI pick out a country road’s moving…
Memory is a heady thing
I left the Island Bay Yacht Club at Lake Springfield about 10 p.m. and headed west toward the new access to 55 North. While pondering, I missed it due to new roads, so, I kept driving west on Toronto Road. When I reached Second St., I turned right. The black sky cracked open and lighting…
Monument to a dead building
What, I wonder, is the overdue fine on a library lintel that was lost for 36 years? The carved stone lintel that stood atop the main entrance to the old library building had been salvaged when the building was demolished in 1974 and trucked to a storage yard at the state fairgrounds. There it sat…
Stone Cold Blues Band
One of the all time best experiences in live music must be experiencing seasoned popular musicians familiar with each other performing songs they care for and know well. The Stone Cold Blues Band fits this idea to a “T” with three of the finest and most adept veterans of the local scene steeped in blues,…
Fired cops face civil rights jury next week
Two former Springfield cops will face a jury next week in federal court for allegedly violating the civil rights of Larry Washington, the former Vice Lord gang member who was arrested in March of 2005 after Springfield police found cocaine stashed in his kitchen pantry. The criminal case against Washington, who says the drugs were…
Off the beaten shopping path in St. Louis
If you’re planning a St. Louis holiday shopping trip, why not check out some independently owned stores and get away from frenetic mall mobs for at least part of your trip? There are hundreds, from funky shops in University City’s Loop on Delmar Street, to antique stores on Cherokee, to pricey boutiques in Clayton –…
Corporate flimflammers in our communities and Congress
The signature phrase of America’s booming good food movement has been expanded from “organic” to “local and sustainable.” Good! The phrase suggests great quality, strong environmental stewardship and a commitment to keeping our food dollars in the local economy. If you support the local-economies movement, as I do, no doubt you’ll be thrilled to hear…
Thanksgiving in Springfield, 100 years ago
If we could go back 100 years to Thanksgiving in 1910, we might be surprised at the similarities and differences. As usual, the president gave a Thanksgiving proclamation. President William H. Taft expressed gratitude that America continued “to be at peace with the rest of the world.” The U.S. had never known a World War…
Potter stumbles at the finish line with Hallows
Hollywood is not above gouging filmgoers every chance it gets (see the current 3-D scam for proof) and it’s obvious Warner Brothers Studios is out to squeeze every last dime from the fans of the Harry Potter franchise by splitting the last of J.K. Rowling’s novels into two features. Still, I held out some hope…
Letters to the Editor 11/24/10
SOUTHWIND BLOWS ON ZOOHow sad that the Henson Robinson zoo has become so run down [see “It’s a zoo out here,” by Rachel Wells, Nov. 18]. When the word was out about Southwind Park a few years ago, I had mixed emotions. One, what a great addition to the park system. But that was offset…
BETTER BAGS
The Better Bag Project is getting bigger. Headed up by Sustainable Springfield, Inc., and the Green Business Network, the Better Bag Project is a drive to get Springfield residents to use fewer plastic bags. Started early this summer, the Better Bag project this fall joined forces with members of the area’s educational institutions to bring…
Aural arrangement
Here’s a holiday treat for central Illinoisans. Over the Moon Productions gives two free performances of the award-winning comedy Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol written by Tom Mula in the form of a radio show. An enchanting production for the entire family, this show’s main character is Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley. The storyline focuses on…
Shopping soirée
Downtown Springfield, Inc., presents five nights in December where they bring out the festivities and entertainment and unroll the streets from 5 to 8 p.m. During these special open hours at many businesses downtown, you can not only get shopping and dining bargains, but can hear local musicians, visit the Santa House, ride in a…
HEAT HELP
The holidays are upon us, and that means two things: the season of giving and the season of freezing. But Springfield City Water, Light and Power brings both of those ideas together, giving the fortunate a chance to give back and the less fortunate a way to keep the heat on this winter. CWLP’s Project…
Mansion makeover
Visit the Illinois Executive Mansion from Nov. 30 through Jan. 8 to see the governor’s home decorated for the holidays. The decorations have a distinctly historic taste this year thanks to staff and volunteers from Springfield area museums and historic sites. In addition, Buckley Growers Illinois brings their greenhouse-grown poinsettias to the mansion. An open…
From the heart
Give what’s in your heart. It’s a phrase that, when applied in the figurative sense, precisely summarizes what most social service agencies ask of their donors, hoping that in those hearts is the generosity to donate precious commodities – time, money, supplies, tools and more. For the Central Illinois Community Blood Center, which offers the…
Helping others
You can help our local crisis nursery, which opens its doors to parents at risk for abuse or who are in crisis and need emergency childcare, by placing a donation under the decorated Beanie Baby Bears tree in the lobby at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. As a gift back to you, the nursery invites…
Straight from the handmade heart
Reluctant to dig out the same old, tried-and-true holiday decorations that helped usher in the aughts? Indulge. It’s time to switch up that worn-out Christmas routine. Head to the craft store instead, where, for a little money and just a bit more time, anyone can create handmade holiday decorations that truly inspire the spirit of…
Tamara Drewe undone by thin characters
Based on the graphic novel by Posy Symmonds, Stephen Frears’ Tamara Drewe sucks you in with its intriguing situation and attractive title character, an ugly duckling who returns to her hometown in England a sensual beauty in the form of Gemma Arterton. Through the wonders of a nose job and a newfound sense of confidence,…
Stamping out hate
No more nooses, says the Springfield-based Coalition to Promote Human Dignity and Diversity. No more swastikas, KKK marches or hate-inspired arson. It’s time to stamp out hate expressions in Springfield. That was the message at the coalition’s Nov. 15 public forum on hate activities and hate crimes at Union Baptist Church, 1405 East Monroe St.…
The Ambassador of Salsa
Pulsing Latin rhythms echo through the cavernous gymnasium at Springfield College, as a handful of college students take their first few steps into the world of salsa dancing. Some glide gracefully across the floor, while others seem to move with leaden feet, but each of them is smiling. That’s thanks to the magnetic charisma of…
Traditional green bean casserole (made from scratch)
This recipe is adapted from New Orleans chef Donald Link’s cookbook, Real Cajun. Link’s three restaurants, Herbsaint, Cochon and Butcher are wildly popular – on a recent visit to Cochon, there was a crowd waiting to get in at 9 p.m. on a Monday. Some of the book’s recipes are from the restaurants, but most…
Contemporary faith sounds
All area youth, 18 and under, are invited to hear Christian rap/hip-hop singer George Moss of Michigan who performs a free show sponsored by the Fusion Student Ministry at First United Methodist Church. Moss and his band play several of their recent hits including “Go Hard or Go Home” and “Whoa,” played on both Christian…
Dale Armstrong with Ronnie Engel
In honor of National Drum Month, Prairie Drum presents two world-class drummers with roots in central Illinois in an evening of entertainment and education. Dale Armstrong, a Bloomington native, moved to Nashville 30 years ago and made his mark as one of the most sought after studio and live drummers in Music City, USA. Armstrong…
It’s a zoo out here
When Rainier, a wolverine born last spring, sees a visitor to Henson Robinson Zoo rounding the corner to see her, she scampers to the front of her exhibit, ready to follow the new face from one end to the other before darting back to track the next. The lively Rainier, one of the creatures that…
The new Know Nothings
The late Daniel Moynihan, who represented New York in the upper chamber of Congress in the days when the U.S. still had senators, once observed that while everyone is entitled to his opinion, he is not entitled to his own facts. Nothing – not the bow ties, not the Ivy League education, not the erudition…
How a pro-choice group defeated Brady
One of the very top officials in Bill Brady’s campaign told me a few days after the election that he believes Brady lost to Gov. Pat Quinn for one reason: The pro-choice group Personal PAC. Brady’s election day model, the top campaign official said, had him taking 43 percent of the suburban Cook County vote.…
Let’s go slow
The assortment of counter-clogging cookware you need to braise, bake or warm a holiday menu can be replaced by this year’s one must-have appliance: the slow cooker. This trusty tool, which cooks weeknight chili or sloppy joes when time can’t be spared, works magic on elegant cuisine. The slow cooker’s makeover as a gourmet…
RIP Raoul
My best buddy and music mate left this world at about 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2010. Raoul took the great gig in the sky where the whiskey never stops flowing and smoking bans don’t exist, in that special place where no one ever stiffs the musicians on pay and the audience loves whatever you…
Letters to the Editor 11/18/10
FREEDOM OF (SOME) INFORMATION?How quickly we forget. In the wake of scandal and corruption at the highest levels of government, Illinois lawmakers passed a law in 2009 bolstering the Freedom of Information Act – a move designed to give everyday people access to important government information. This year, however, lawmakers are having second thoughts and…
New takes on old holiday sides
They’ll appear on countless Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables throughout America, as they have for decades: green bean casserole made with canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and canned fried onions; and candied yams or sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. Neither were part of my family’s holiday traditions, though. As regards the green…
Crisis in college education
In early November, I traveled with a colleague from Jacksonville to Mobile, Ala., to present a paper at the National Symposium on Student Retention (NSSR). Mobile is a proud city that has endured cycles of decline and prosperity. Beautiful historical buildings sit beside crumbling commercial properties. Wealthy people share sidewalks with impoverished addicts. Academic events…
Chipotle mashed sweet potatoes
Canned chipotles in adobo are available in many groceries. They’re great to have on hand, but I rarely use more than one or two at a time; I freeze the rest and dig them out as needed. Approximately 6 lbs. sweet potatoes, all about the same size. 1-2 canned chipotle chilis in adobo, or to…
Cheap, easy and eco, too!
Arriving at Pat Smith’s home for her holiday party, one might think her little tree, perched on a table and adorned with a delicate strand of lights, is an homage to “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” But actually, the little tree makes a big statement about Smith’s commitment to the environment. Buying and disposing of both…
Coal miners find common ground with anti-coal author
Asked if he was a proponent of coal as he waited for a lecture featuring an anti-coal author to begin, Mark Bloom, sporting an International Coal Group jacket and sitting next to his Williamsville mine’s safety inspector, responded, “Isn’t everybody?” Well, no, not exactly. Jeff Biggers, whose lecture the coal miners were attending, wrote Reckoning…
Putting on the yuletide
Looking for something to do over Thanksgiving week? Memorial Medical Center and Foundation offers a sneak peek at Christmas that is sure to push you into the holiday mood at its Festival of Trees. In addition to gorgeous designer-decorated trees, there are wreaths, gingerbread houses, festive foods, choirs, musicians, Madrigal singers, visits with Santa, kiddie…
Piano recital
Internationally acclaimed pianist Norman Belmelmans takes to the Rammelkamp Chapel stage Nov. 20 as part of the Fine Arts Series at Illinois College. Playing for the public since the age of seven, Belmelmans studied under international luminaries: Jean Houpt, Stefan Bardas, Richard Cass, Patrizia Benkman and Ozan Marsch. In addition to recitals around the world,…
Jazzy classic
This jazz, tap and hip hop rendition of the classic ballet is performed by DCDS In Motion, a group of dancers from Dance Creations Dance Studio owned by Janet Cripe, who directs the performance. The mission of the group is to perform, expand their talents and participate in community projects to help others. All proceeds…
DINING TO DONATE
If you went out to eat in Springfield on Nov. 16, you might have made a difference in someone’s life without even knowing it. That’s because 20 restaurants in Springfield volunteered to give 10 percent of their proceeds for the day to the United Way of Central Illinois’ “Dine United” program, which supports local health…
COLLECTING COATS
Brrr! As another central Illinois winter approaches, one community organization is once again gearing up to give a little warmth to those in need. Eastside Pride Citizens for a New Direction is planning its fifth annual coat drive for Saturday, Dec. 4. Held at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, at 908 S. Martin Luther King Dr.,…
IEPA vows to step up factory farm enforcement
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency vows to step up enforcement of anti-pollution rules on factory farms after criticism from the federal government and environmental advocates. In a letter dated Nov. 1, IEPA responded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several Illinois-based environmental groups that claimed IEPA was not effectively regulating confined animal feeding operations…
namespoem #2
I tell our grieving guest, I like that youcall us all “dear heart” that’s what mymother called me talie says. I say my momcalled us “lambkin” or “lambie,” and I calledyou daughters that too, and gillian saysI call cressie “punkin seed” or “punkin pie,”or “my little bean” Ellie says mine are “hunbun”or “honeybunny,” or “pusscat,”…
Books un-covered
Amazon Kindle $139.99The latest generation of the Kindle makes it easy to lighten the load in a backpack or briefcase. Owners can carry up to 3,500 eBooks in the device – which weighs less than a typical paperback novel – and stay on the go for nearly a month (with Wi-Fi off) on a single…
Conviction, a tale of determination
Tony Goldwyn’s Conviction belongs squarely in the “stranger than fiction” file. The story of Betty Anne Waters is one rife with drama and is certainly tailor-made for the Hollywood treatment. Having dropped out of high school, Waters went back and finished, then put herself through college and law school so that she could represent her…
Morning Glory a delightful surprise
Undeniably charming and refreshingly old-fashioned, Roger Michell’s Morning Glory is a surprisingly entertaining throwback that tackles the oft-told tale of a young girl who goes off to conquer the big city, finds love along the way and just happens to remain hopelessly optimistic despite the many obstacles thrown in her way. Yes, we’ve been down…
Soft landing for bankers, hard times for everyone else
I’ve seen some truly amazing feats of magic, but here’s one that beats them all. Right before your eyes, this thing rises into the air on its own, with no wires or mechanical devices giving it lift. And it hovers there effortlessly. But it’s not magic, for magic is an illusion, and this gravity defying…
