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Get ready voters, election season is here again. Door knocking has already begun as candidates for national, state and local offices pass petitions to get their names on the ballot. Critical offices like president and members of Congress and Illinois representatives and senators are on the ballot during next year’s partisan general elections.

Perhaps you have read about, if not seen, Mitt Romney’s latest TV campaign ad. Mr. Romney, keep in mind, is the responsible GOP contender, the grown-up in the room, the calm voice on platforms otherwise crowded with gibbering idiots. He also is the candidate who, for those reasons, the GOP rank and file seem loathe to have represent them.

Yes, rebels. People who dare to challenge the conventional wisdom and try to find a better way for doing something, even with the odds against them and the Powers That Be saying it won’t work.

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Since local election winners are often determined by tens or hundreds of votes – these vote total differences speak loudly in political candidates’ field plans and in afterelection agendas. The good news for these wards is that significant numbers of voters do participate in general elections, especially when electing presidents. In 2004, wards 6, 5, 3 and 2 saw huge jumps in turnout and vote totals with ward 6 posting a 77 percent voter turnout and 4,617 votes; ward 5 with a 69 percent turnout with 3,248 votes; ward 3 with a 67 percent turnout and 4,367 votes and ward 2 with a 65 percent voter turnout and 3,697 votes. These numbers bust the myth that people in these wards simply will not vote.

Not including federal money, the state budget is around $30 billion. So one out of every four state tax dollars spent next year will go to the pension funds, and every last penny from January’s “temporary” state income tax increase will be used for that pension payment next year.

Lafferty’s disclosure came during a recent newsroom meeting called to discuss the efforts of GateHouse Media, the newspaper’s owner, to turn around sagging financial fortunes.

“Believe it or not, it was my sister who made the connection between me and SIU,” recalls Dulcinea Gillman. The former Springfield resident is now CEO of Critchfield Construction, an Elmhurst development firm in charge of building Hope Springs Apartments, currently under construction at 1135 N.

More than 180 years ago, a young Abraham Lincoln was working in various capacities at New Salem. One of his duties was splitting wood, such as white and red oaks found on the rolling hills, and walnuts, burr oaks and pecans down in the floodplain.

Bruce Yurdin, manager of field operations for IEPA’s Division of Water Pollution Control, said the agency has taken several steps over the past year to better track pollution from confined animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs.

A short walk down the hall, in Barbara Moore’s kindergarten classroom, seven rambunctious children recite the days of the week in unison. Every time their teacher’s back is turned, mischievous grins appear on their faces as their youthful energy turns toward tomfoolery.

“It’s pretty much in my blood,” she said, adding that she instantly fell in love with St. Patrick school when she first visited. “There’s something about this place,” Marsaglia said. “Once you’re in, if it’s a perfect fit, you know it right away.”

The school receives about $50,000 annually from the Catholic church’s Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, while the endowment provides about $40,000 per year, Runkel said. The diocese also provides bookkeeping services to the school and an affordable lease on the school building.

Sullivan said St. Patrick will emphasize its faith-based curriculum while adding more technology to classrooms. The school already has “smart boards” – interactive computerized whiteboards – in almost every classroom. Textbooks for English, math and reading were recently updated.

Check out our Holiday Calendar each week until January for holiday events and activities. Events are subject to last minute changes, so we suggest phoning prior to attending. Send your holiday events one week or more in advance to calendar@illinoistimes.

Cookie Walk Dec 03, 9am-12pm, Homemade Christmas cookies presented by Baptist Women’s Fellowship. First Baptist Church, lower level, Pawnee Street entrance. Taylorville, 303 E. Market St. 824-8081.

The Animal Protective League (APL) is a private, not-for-profit animal welfare organization, funded by donations. It operates an animal shelter, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, and maintains numerous programs that benefit members of the community.

Kumler Outreach Ministries began as a bag of groceries under Kumler United Methodist Church’s kitchen sink in 1976 and now serves more than 20,000 people each year, providing groceries, paying for prescriptions for the uninsured, offering clothing...

Every year, holiday lighting manufacturers introduce more varieties of bulbs, strands, colors and accessories. Luckily for the seasonal lighting industry (and those who love cruising the neighborhood, looking at lit-up houses), nobody seems to be willing to forego Christmas lights altogether, no matter their financial woes.

Take a look at where the electrical outlets are, says Bob Pranga, owner of holiday design company Dr. Christmas in Los Angeles. Wandering cords will diminish the look and present a potential hazard. Then determine the focal point of the room, he says. Any lighting should complement it.

In this age of digital technology and toy gadgetry, children may be keener to flip on the TV or shuffle their MP3 player than crack open a book. This holiday season, try reigniting their imagination with the gift of words. Here are some of 2011’s award-winning and honor books for young readers.

Somewhere on the spectrum between techno-dazzle (iPad apps for toddlers, anyone?) and fuzzy-wuzzy bears there’s a sweet spot: toys that inspire kids to have fun, stretch their creativity and learn while they play. With a little effort – and some guidance from savvy toy shop owners – any attentive shopper can hit the mark.

Control Machines set ($70, age 8 and up) lets kids build 10 different motorized vehicles (including bulldozer, crane, Formula One racer, three-blade dozer, robotic arm) and then guide them with a remote control unit. After following the instructions to construct the standard vehicles, kids can invent their own.

and unusual gifts. But I don’t just give them away – I make them for myself and my family during the holidays and other special occasions..

What the previews don’t tell you is that the movie really focuses on one of Scorsese’s passions, film preservation. At its core is the tale of Georges Melies, the pioneering French filmmaker who created indelible images during the silent era, yet whose work was largely forgotten during his lifetime.

Let’s chime in first with another local joining the Kickstarter craze. Last September I used the creative fundraising platform to help finish my Sangamon Songs project.

Once a band, always a band, former members of Next of Kinn could say. The rocking country, oldfashioned funk and classic rock combo recently re-formed to rekindle the magic from when fans voted the group best live band of 2001 for Illinois Times.

Ring in the season with the 19-member handbell ensemble, Bells in Motion. Hear traditional holiday favorites and more during their “Ring Noel” concert Dec. 3 at the First Congregational Church.

Join Mayor Mike Houston, city leaders, Land of Lincoln Chorus and others at the lighting of the downtown holiday tree Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. on the Old Capitol Plaza, Sixth and Adams.

Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association holds its Holiday Historic Home Tour Sunday, Dec. 4 on the north side. Five homes built from the 1870s to the early 1900s will be decorated in holiday finery and open to guests. The tour benefits the LPNA and Northside Community Children’s Library.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS ESTATE OF Cynthia E. Bard, Deceased Case No: 2011-P-566 CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of Cynthia E. Bard.