A SUM’LL COME UP, TOMORROW
At least since August the Springfield Theatre Centre has listed the
sponsor of its January production of Annie as The Law Offices of Frederick
Nessler, a Springfield attorney. But as of Tuesday morning, Nessler hadn’t made
good on his $2,500 pledge.
Could it have anything to do with the fact that Nessler’s wife, Jill, also
an attorney, auditioned unsuccessfully for the part of evil Miss Hannigan?
No one’s saying, so we’re not gonna bet our bottom dollar on it. Fred Nessler
wouldn’t comment, referring us to his press agent, Bob Sullinger, president
of Great Plains Group. Sullinger handles Nessler’s community obligations and
local sponsorships. He says Jill, who had signed the pledge contract, didn’t
tell Great Plains about it; therefore no one knew to cut the check. Until Tuesday
afternoon, that is, when it was delivered to the Centre after we phoned Nessler,
Sullinger, and others associated with the play.
“It’s a right hand, left hand thing,” Sullinger says. “During the holidays
people get busy. The contract sat there unattended.”
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
Hanson Professional Services Inc. — the architectural and engineering
firm that gave us the award-winning Clark Bridge across the Mississippi — marks
its 50th anniversary this year.
Founded in 1954 by Walt Hanson, the Springfield-based company has 350 employees
at 15 locations across the nation.
Locally, its projects include design work on a 45,000-square-foot facility
for the Illinois Air National Guard 183rd Fighter Wing. Internationally, the
firm has supplied A & E services for Voice of America broadcasting relay
stations.
JUST ANOTHER NORMAL COLLEGE
Students at Illinois State University rank No. 9 on the “top 10” list
of pagan groups on college campuses, according to newWitch magazine.
A reader survey in the current issue (which also includes an article titled
“Help! My roommate’s a muggle!”) touts the ISU group Pagans Reaching Out to
Educate Campus Together, or PROTECT, as one of the best in the nation.
This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2003.
