Elysium at the auditorium
The Illinois Symphony Orchestra began its 26th season on Saturday, Oct. 20, with a lopsided program at Sangamon Auditorium. The concert, billed as a “Bicentennial Celebration” for the state of Illinois, included a salute to the female gender, followed by a somber tribute to Abraham Lincoln before concluding with a spirited performance of one of…
Divided Siblings Drive “Sisters”
While reports of the death of the western have been exaggerated, there’s no question that the genre has been on life support for some time. For a while it seemed as though Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones were the only ones interested in keeping the Oater alive, though the occasional one would make…
Childress leaving Springfield U.S. attorney’s office
John Childress, temporary head of the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of Illinois, is leaving. Sharon Paul, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Springfield, confirmed Childress’ departure from the district. She said she did not know when Childress will leave his post. Childress could not be reached for comment, but Tim Horty,…
Catch the colors in Calhoun County
When I was growing up, I loved going to my mom’s cousin’s house for Sunday dinner. Iva Rose would serve seemingly endless platters of chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, garden vegetables and rolls. To top it off, she would bake several homemade pies and cakes filled with deliciousness and served with love. Those…
Hat trick
Here’s an ad we haven’t seen. “Hello, I’m Rodney Davis. In 2015, I voted for a $1.1 trillion budget bill that exceeded spending limits by $66 billion. Barack Obama called it a Christmas present for the American people. Donald Trump blasted Republicans for cooperating with Democrats, but I took that vote, regardless of political consequences,…
What if we made voting fun?
A consortium of national, state and local officials of Republican persuasion have mounted a tawdry campaign over the past decade to slam the ballot box shut on entire segments of America’s electorate. In a concerted effort, these rabidly partisan officials have targeted African-Americans, students, Latinos, the elderly, union households, the poor, immigrants and other communities…
A good starting point for Pritzker
Dear J.B. Pritzker, I totally understand the campaign politics of not wanting to say what you think the income tax rates should be under a graduated tax structure. I also get why you won’t say what ought to be the income level at which people will begin paying a higher income tax rate than they…
Letters to the Editor
SO LONG, SEARS So long, Sears. What? Too soon? Actually it’s Kmart that’s filing bankruptcy. Kmart bought Sears and changed the name to improve their image. Sort of like Southwestern Bell with the worst reputation in telephones buying AT&T with the best name and changing its name to … you guessed it, AT&T. But my…
Editor’s Note 10/18/18
Last week we said farewell to Scott Faingold, Illinois Times staff writer who has been with us full time for the past five years, covering arts, culture and business. He has accepted a full-time teaching position at University of Illinois Springfield. Scott had been a frequent freelance contributor here before he joined the staff, first…
What does it mean to be an American?
Tell me: What does it actually mean to be an American? In the press of day-to-day events and amid the ongoing tumult of politics, we don’t think about this much. Yet it’s a crucial question, one that each generation in this country is called upon to answer for itself. Despite our differences, there are some…
You’ll have nightmares for weeks
On Friday and Saturday nights in October, experience the horror of the Extreme Haunted Hayrides and Zombie Paintball Rides, located in Riverside Park, just two blocks north of Dirksen Parkway at 4700 N. Peoria Road. During the Extreme Haunted Hayrides, hearse-pulled thrill-seekers will travel along the Sangamon River and through the woods. During the Zombie…
Opening night for the ISO
Don’t miss the performance that kicks off the Illinois Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-2019 season on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Sangamon Auditorium. The ISO’s Bicentennial Celebration concert features pieces that celebrate the Illinois Bicentennial, such as Joan Tower’s first “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman,” an adventurous piece that pays tribute to female risk-takers; Aaron…
Jenny from the flock
I hit it off with this guy I met on Match.com. We’ve been dating for a month and slept together twice. He said he’d delete his Match profile because things were going so well, so I deleted mine. Recently, a mutual friend told me he’d just gone on Tinder. I’m super upset, and though we didn’t…
Hemp
It’s only been legal since Aug. 26, but there are already farmers throughout the state who want to start growing Illinois’ latest cash crop. The Illinois Industrial Hemp Act was signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner this summer. It allows farmers to obtain state licenses to grow hemp for use in a wide range…
Gun is a worthy swan song for Redford
I have an old gray T-shirt. I can’t tell you how many times it’s been washed or how many times I’ve worn it. It’s always at the top of the pile in my dresser drawer and it is the one I grab when I need something comfortable to wear under another shirt or just want…
All over town
Thursday night starts us off with a one-of-a-kind performance at Buzz Bomb Brewery enticingly entitled Pistol Pete’s Existential Crisis (7-9). Pistol Pete is Pete Midtgard, a lead singer on the upright bass who is/was the driving force behind the Twistin Tarantulas, a Detroit-based, rockabilly-punk trio that survived 25 years of life on the road. PP…
Stuart Smith
Give a guy a guitar, let him learn to play it, then watch as he knocks out some songs as a singer-songwriter. Next thing you know, he’s got a killer recording out on CD and LP. That would be the short story of Winchester native Stuart Smith, out on a tear in support of his…
Soups for the freezer
Now that cool fall temperatures have finally arrived, my soup pot will be in regular use. We eat soup several nights a week in my house, and I honestly wouldn’t be able to feed my family made-from-scratch meals so consistently were it not for the arsenal of soups I’ve stashed away in the freezer. Most…
nada poem #17
the good thing aboutfalling asleepwith all your clothes onis that when you wake upthe next morningyou are all set to go ©2018 Jacqueline Jackson
