I represent a unique district on the west side of Springfield and Sangamon County – one with many dedicated state workers and many others who rely on the state for funding or services.

Back in June, news got about that there was waiting on the governor’s desk a bill to set up a Muslim Advisory Council. Kumbaya gestures of this sort have long been popular among politicians pandering to groups whose good opinion they hope to win.

Consider the gang of debt collection firms that are thugglishly and lawlessly rampaging across the country, ruthlessly abusing consumer rights and common decency. Susan Macharia, a California administrative employee, is one of thousands of middle-income and low-wage workers each year who get robbed by these relentless money grabbers.

While secretary of state, she failed to get our citizens out of harm’s way in Benghazi, Libya, as other nations did. She was complicit having our military to stand down when our people were under attack by heavily armed terrorists.

Turnaround Illinois, Inc. is one of those “dark money” nonprofit groups that doesn’t have to disclose its donors. It has so far booked $1,015,084 in broadcast, satellite and cable TV ads. The group purchased $684,455 in broadcast TV ads scheduled to run from Aug.

Claiming poverty, Gov. Bruce Rauner shut down the state museum and cut funding to preserve the papers of Abraham Lincoln, but when it comes to corndogs and butter cows, the band plays on, despite deep deficits in state fair bank accounts.

Home care services in Illinois consist of two state-funded programs – one through the Department on Aging which focuses on senior citizens in poverty, and another through the Department of Human Services focusing on people with disabilities.

New complete-with-fold-marks flags of India and the temple itself are ready, but the U.S. flag is missing. Nimavat, a pediatrician at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, unlocks the temple and checks inside. Still no luck. An American flag will be here soon, he determines after making a phone call.

When receiving word that the Chief Magistrate is planning a visit, the hosting city is usually quick to roll out the red carpet. Not so in 1866, when President Andrew Johnson arrived in Springfield only to receive the cold shoulder from the city council and many prominent citizens.

Fish can be a beneficial component of a healthy diet. Fish are the major sources of longchain omega-3 fats, are high in protein and low in saturated fat. Evidence suggests that eating fish or taking fish oil is good for the heart and blood vessels.

It seems as though the food items at Shopwell’s grocery store have been sold a bill of goods. They’ve been told that those who shop there are gods and that their ultimate goal is to be chosen by one of them and taken to the “Great Beyond,” that mystical place beyond the sliding doors.

With the wet and wild washout last Friday and more rain earlier in the week, this fair may become known as “the big wet one” or “the wash” or maybe even “the fair that went down the drain.” All kidding aside, things seem to be doing okay, considering it’s the first fair under our controversial governor and therefore new fair director and staff.

Dates, times and locations are subject to change, so we suggest calling before attending an event..

Volunteers band hummingbirds and describe hummingbird banding, migration. Visitors can adopt banded birds. lincolnsnewsalem.com. Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, 15588 History Lane, Petersburg, 632-4000..

This Saturday join The Log Cabin Birders and Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders at Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site for a celebration of some of the world’s smallest birds.