LEARN HOW COPS WORK
Freeze! You have the right to remain silent. We got here as quickly as we could, ma’am. Learn all of these police catchphrases and more at the Springfield Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy that starts Oct. 4. “The citizens get a better idea of how we do things,” says Deputy Chief Cliff Buscher. “They understand…
Letters to the Editor 09/22/11
ABSOLUTE HELLI was a MacArthur Park resident up until about five months ago [see “MacArthur Park’s Slumdog Millionaire,” by Bruce Rushton, Sept. 15]. I think that it is ridiculous for the blame to be put on the residents themselves or to blame Section 8. I was not a Section 8 tenant and my rent was…
Sherry honey dressing
1 c. olive oil 5 T. sherry or red wine vinegar 4 T. yoghurt or sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or 1 tsp. regular salt 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/4 c. honey Coarsely ground black pepper 1 1/2 – 2 T. minced shallot, preferred, or onion Whisk all the ingredients together. Let stand…
Will police torture set convicted rapist free?
No one disputes that Stanley Wrice was beaten by Chicago police to extract a confession. Now, the state Supreme Court will decide whether the beating and subsequent forced confession is grounds for a hearing that could ultimately result in Wrice being set free after serving nearly 30 years of a 100-year sentence. His supporters say…
Light your fire the eco-friendly way
What warms the hearth may not always be good for the environment – here’s a look at eco-friendly fireplace options. It may look pretty, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average emissions of fine particles into the air from one of the 22 million fireplaces in the United States are far greater…
Singing sisters
Accomplished melodious siblings Karin and Kirsten Paludan present a multi-media musical memoir as they sing together for the first time in Springfield on Sept. 24 in the UIS Kitchen Sink Series at Sangamon Auditorium. Karin, of Washington, D.C., is an opera singer who has performed with the New York City Opera National Company and at…
Let’s get real on jobs
You know what’s wrong with the American economy, Bucko? You, that’s what. Yeah, yeah, it’s true that the reckless global gambling schemes of Wall Street bankers are what wrecked our economy – and, yes, Congress and the Federal Reserve have used trillions of our public dollars to bail out miscreant bankers, while ignoring the plight…
Maximus to the rescue: The backstory
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Springfield City Council approved a $50,000 contract with Maximus, Inc., “to perform a review of a fiscally-sustainable staffing level for the city.” During debate, aldermen disagreed on whether the contract was designed as an efficiency study or a personnel-cutting study, but I think Bill McCarty, director of Office of Budget…
Fall is time to care for your tools
After the garden is cleaned up and put to bed for the winter, it is a great time to give your tools some attention. Ideally garden tools should be cleaned, sharpened and hung in the correct place after every use. However, I think most gardeners are like myself, use the tool and be happy that…
Lethal texting
Sometimes when 21-year-old Ian Tate is going for a drive and his phone lights up with a new text message, he’ll use one hand to reach for his phone, leave his other hand on the wheel as he reads the message, then text a response. Even though the Springfield native doesn’t really like to text,…
Bumper crop of cars
Gear up and head downtown Sept. 23-25 for a weekend of music, food and cars. More than 1,000 classic cars and trucks in more than 40 CASI certified nationally-judged classes will be on display after kicking off the festival with a cruise through Springfield streets on Friday evening from the Capital City Shopping Plaza. Besides…
A roadmap to kitchen remodeling
Ensure a happy and successful kitchen remodel by planning ahead, researching features and keeping expectations in check. 1. Take time to planPlanning is a critical step in any remodeling project, and it is never more important than in the kitchen. The first step toward achieving your “dream” kitchen starts with a critique of your current…
Monkeypoem #2
we took the grandkids to themovies sunday saw rise of theplanet of the apes it was as goodas the reviews predicted whatrefreshing car wrecks what astage the golden gate madefor those magnificent beastsor dare we call them beastsand it had its effect oh yes ithad its effect afterwards wyattscuttled across the asphalt loton all fours…
Drive has more than fast cars
A darling at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Nicolas Refn’s Drive comes stateside as a bit of an oddball that its distributor is selling short. On the surface, this appears to be a slick genre piece that features a cool hero, fast cars and little else. This is certainly how it’s being sold and the…
State regresses in poverty goals
For the lowest income group in Illinois, the Great Recession might as well have been another Great Depression. Though 7.3 percent of higher income Illinois workers were unemployed earlier this year, the unemployment rate of lower income workers exceeded 25 percent, according to Illinois’ Commission on the Elimination of Poverty. Those are disturbing statistics, says…
False start to campaign for open primary
Expect a bit more tweaking, Bill Clutter says, after twice changing a proposal for amending the Illinois Constitution through voter initiative. A Democratic candidate for the 48th Senate District, Clutter on Sept. 7 announced a petition drive to institute open primaries – preliminary elections in which voters would not be required to divulge their party…
Tonguesnatcher Revue returns
If the name is not enough to suck you in, please believe me, Tonguesnatcher Revue is a must-see band. And seeing is an important part of experiencing this musical group, long disciples of the theatrical side of rock and roll music. Hearing, though, is believing with this bunch, since despite all the schlock, they always…
Get smarter about a Smart Grid for utilities
Gov. Pat Quinn recently vetoed a “Smart Grid” bill that was pushed through the General Assembly this past spring by ComEd and Ameren, the two biggest electric utilities in the state. Politically, this veto was a no-brainer for the populist Quinn. The governor never tires of recounting how he helped start the Citizens Utility Board,…
Pear and raspberry tarts
1 recipe almond tart dough, recipe follows 1 beaten egg 6 T. seedless red raspberry jam 3 firm but ripe pears, preferably a more rounded variety, such as Bartletts or Red pears Turbinado sugar, sometimes called coarse sugar or sugar in the raw, for sprinkling 1 pint fresh red raspberries Crme friche or whipped cream…
Past power
Take a ride into the past at the Prairie Land Heritage Museum Steam and Fall Festival Days featuring Massey Harris and Massey Ferguson tractors and equipment and other horse-powered equipment, antique tractors, and gas and steam engines. Watch period demonstrations on baling, blacksmithing, threshing and more. Shop the large flea and craft market, ride a…
NEW STORE USES LESS ENERGY
On Sept. 15 when computers turned on the energy-efficient T-8 fluorescents a half hour before opening time on opening day at the new Aldi grocery store, energy savings kicked in. The new store, off South Sixth St. near Walmart, is 2,500 square feet larger than the store it replaced at 1770 W. Wabash, yet it…
The Stone and Biscuit Band
As founder, bassist and self-titled “senior member,” Joe O’Neill relates the beginning of the band as “almost by accident.” The 55-year-old musician hadn’t played bass ever and not played out live in 35 some years when he started looking to form a band. The original plan of gigging a few nights a month progressed into…
Salt and pepper caramelized walnuts
1 1/2 c. walnut halves 1 egg white 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 2 T. brown sugar, either dark or light 1 heaping tsp. coarse sea salt Beat egg white until it begins to froth. Add the pepper and sugar and stir until the sugar is partially dissolved. Stir in the walnuts. Turn onto…
Pears poached in red wine, honey and spices
Pears poached in red wine, honey and spices 4 firm but ripe pears, stems attached (Bosc pears work especially well) 1/2 bottle red wine – drinkable, but not necessarily expensive 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar Lemon peel and juice from 1/2 lemon 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves Marscapone or cream cheese, optional Peel pears,…
Two schools for the price of one
On Sept. 11, the District 186 board announced that it would cancel classes forever at Enos Elementary School. The board approved plans to demolish the aging building on the north side and replace it with a new building on the site. As was reported by our Rachel Wells (“Plan to preserve Enos Elementary,” Jan. 6,…
IT tries the new moonshine
My only connection to moonshine was a memory from childhood, when my parents set up a still in the laundry room, on top of the washer and dryer. The project was likely steeped in my mother’s over-the-top frugality and a surplus of corn from a friend’s garden. The highlight came when the final product drip,…
Neighborhood sues owners of abandoned house
Fed up with blight, activists in Enos Park are taking the law into their own hands. The Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association is suing the owners of a home at 1144 N. Sixth St., hoping for an injunction to either force the owners to bring the boarded-up house into compliance with city code or put…
Almond tart dough
Almond tart dough 1 c. finely ground almonds (measure BEFORE grinding) 1 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 3 T. brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 T. grated lemon peel Mix all ingredients together well, either by hand or using a mixer…
Salad with pears, blue cheese, salt and pepper caramelized walnuts, and sherry honey dressing
For the salad/per person: 1 large handful of washed and torn soft lettuce leaves, such as Boston or Bibb About 2 T. crumbled blue cheese 6-8 salt and pepper caramelized walnuts 1 – 1 1/2 ripe pears, cored and sliced Sherry honey dressing Place the torn lettuce into a large bowl. Add just enough dressing…
Plentiful pears
Pity the poor pear. Each autumn, apples get all the attention. It’s just not fair. Sure, pears show up in cooking publications, but they always seem to take a back seat to apples. That’s a shame, because pears eaten in their season, ripened mostly on the tree instead of being gassed into a semblance of…
