I thought of Captain Hall, who later in his career was Springfield police chief, while sitting at a stoplight on a busy Springfield street recently. A Range Rover blew through the red at about 30 miles an hour – an event that happens with increasing frequency.

I thought of that as I stood in line the other day at Chipotle. I go there for the veggie burrito. I didn’t order music with it, but I got it with my order anyway. Chipotle is one of those firms that has a company DJ who “curates” the songs played at all the chain’s restaurants.

A coalition of grass-roots farmers, consumers and scrappy public interest organizations (like the Agribusiness Accountability Project that Susan DeMarco and I then headed) teamed up with some gutsy, unabashedly progressive senators to undertake the...

The students who attend UIS and then leave afterward have no sense of history or tradition about our beloved Prairie Stars. Some outof-state group is hired to create ridiculous images and names and expect people to praise them for their brilliant stunt, collect their check and then take off.

It began with a back-andforth between Mayor Mike Houston and Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin about a new contract for firefighters. McMenamin always votes against contracts that contain raises, which means that he votes against every collective bargaining agreement, and he always gets on the stump when he does it.

The move to gain accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums comes three years after the AAM issued a report on ALPLM operations, finding problems ranging from awkward governance to financial concerns to a lack of strategic long-term planning (“A museum divided,” April 5, 2012, illinoistimes.

Illinois lawmakers are considering an increase in minimum prison time for carrying a weapon under certain circumstances, but opponents say that won’t reduce crime. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing the bill, which may be voted on when lawmakers return to Springfield in January.

The 150-year-old Taylor House at 12 th and Cass streets in Springfield now faces possible demolition after numerous attempts to save it. New efforts to preserve the structure are focusing on the building’s importance to the history of Springfield’s east side and its African- American community.

As 2013 draws to a close, the arts in Springfi eld are in an exciting place. Local visual artists, theatrical performers and musicians have rarely had so many opportunities to gain exposure, with a growing number of active, adventurous venues and curious, enthusiastic audiences becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Through December, fi nd fun holiday activities here..

Candles truly are the gifts that keep on giving. According to the National Candle Association, America’s love for waxing poetic burns bright: $2 billion is spent annually on candles and they are used in 7 out of 10 households. Versatile and inexpensive – they are a wonderful gift option for moms, grandmas, teachers, hostesses and more.

Burlap is your friend. It’s easy to work with and automatically gives everything a rustic feel. Wrap burlap around gifts and silverware, or use it as a tree skirt or tablecloth. Plus, it’s neutral so it will work with your existing color palette..

It’s a way to transform your house into a whole different look for an entire month. I always start with a concept, then pick and choose from my collection of holiday ornaments. I like to use things from my Christmas collection for Ballard Designs …it was inspired by antique ornaments I’ve collected in muted colors.

When Philomena Lee became pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1951, she had very few options. Out of shame, her parents sent her to a convent in Roscrea where she worked as an indentured laundry lady, eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy...

Christmas certainly can be a trial – and however far we’ve come in equalizing the roles of the sexes, in most cases the burden of holiday preparation falls more heavily on women than on men. My friend may have been cynical, but she certainly had a point.

Using what they termed, “crowd sourced jams,” as a firm foundation from which to proceed, Loud Clouds floated into existence.

Sporting a double album of new material and just off from a tour of the Netherlands, after a summer on the road singing backups for Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame, the band Venice stops by town this week.

performances, refreshments, children’s make and take craft. Kevin Purcell 1 p.m. Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site, 603 S. Fifth St, 217-524-0901. (Also at Iles House, Lincoln Home, Edwards Place and Governor’s Mansion.).

If you’re looking for a unique and serene Christmas activity to welcome in the season, the Franciscan Nativity Festival takes place at the Chiara Center throughout the first weekend in December. Experience the deeper meaning of the Incarnation through a display of more than 100 nativity sets from around the world.

Springfield Theatre Centre presents Annie,.

The Springfield Jaycees invite folks to line the streets of downtown for the 42nd annual Christmas parade on Saturday, Dec. 7. The evening parade featuring Santa and the theme Holiday Stories begins at Jefferson and Seventh, heads west to Fifth Street, runs south on Fifth to Capitol, then snakes east, then north on Sixth Street.