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Remember to not forget
The bronze sculpture commemorating the 1908 race riots was finally dedicated this summer on Aug. 6, a century late. As all mayors must, Mayor Davlin said a few words at the ceremony in Union Square Park. “I think we also put up a monument over here,” he said, “to remind .

The prospect for an American Renaissance
The financial, economic and environmental crises are alarm signals to the world, and particularly to us in the U.S. The crises arose because we rushed into unsustainable and destructive practices. Yet we now have an opportunity to build the foundation for an American Renaissance.

A corporate Monster v. “The Vermonster”
Chance are that you’ve seen ads, letters-tothe-editor, op-ed pieces and other materials put out by outfits with such civic-sounding names as Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse.

LETTERS
If the reporting is accurate here — and I have no doubt that it is — then what Scott Humphrey wrote does not rise to the level of either obscenity or threat. If anyone has been threatened here, it is Humphrey. I can’t begin to imagine how disturbed he must have felt to have the FBI show up on his doorstep, only to find himself later arrested.

hallowe’en poem
rachel has rubied her shoes till they are nearly rubied out wyatt is hoarse from his roar scarecrow is mom woodman dad grandma if she arrives in time will be the wicked witch pointy hat black cape ready in the car at the end of yellow brick there’ll...

Polls show half of voters disapprove of Quinn’s performance
The poll of 500 likely Illinois voters taken Oct. 14 found that 53 percent disapproved of Quinn’s performance while 45 percent approved. That’s a sixpoint switch from August when Rasmussen had Quinn’s approval at 47 percent and his disapproval at 49 percent.

FUNKY FRESH FRIDAYS
Instead of dressing down and wearing jeans on Fridays, Bradley dresses up in a new sweater vest and matching French cuff shirt at the end of each week. “I don’t like suits,” he says.

WAR MACHINES
One kind of simulator teaches soldiers to drive the Army’s new mine-resistant armored personnel vehicles, which are designed to withstand the deadly “improvised explosive devices” that troops are likely to encounter in Iraq and Afghanistan. The second set of simulators will teach soldiers how to defend convoys that come under attack.

Familiar name wants back in the game
“The state is so messed up financially,” Topinka said in a telephone interview Monday. “You can do a lot with a fiscal office. I know what we were able to do with three terms in the treasurer’s office. Needless to say, you have to want to do it. It’s an administrative post; it’s not glamorous, but it’s a job I enjoy doing.

Illinois Symphony votes to unionize
On Oct. 20, representatives from the National Labor Relations Board sub-regional office in Peoria counted 64 ballots that were mailed in by ISO musicians. (The NLRB sent ballots to 107 regular full-time and parttime musicians employed by the symphony.).

Independent watchdog warns: Illinois needs better accountability
Usually avoiding the spotlight, the 57year-old Holland talked on Friday about problems with the way state government is structured, as well as former governor Rod Blagojevich’s attempt to commandeer control of his office in 2003 by issuing an executive order to place it under the control of the Department of Central Management Services.

Board worries building plan may cause voter sticker shock
One of 59 members of a community committee charged with proposing a new plan for Springfield’s three public high schools, Castor initially hoped to see the Springfield High campus doubled in size by encompassing the two blocks to the east and by closing sections of Lewis and Adams streets.

BEST OF SPRINGFIELD 2009
Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant 2941 West Iles Ave., 546-3116 3210 Northfield Dr., 544-9206 6901 Preston Dr., 438-1006.

These Cajuns add seasoning to life in central Illinois
By the time you read this, I’ll be back down by the bayou. There’s a pretty good chance I’ll be eating oysters harvested that morning, or shrimp and crabs from the Gulf of Mexico, only a few miles south.

RealCuisine Recipe
Dirty Rice is a Cajun classic. If you’re fond of chicken livers, you’ll love this dish. The livers are essential for truly authentic Dirty Rice, however I have seen versions that substitute finely ground hamburger for some or all of the livers..

Movie times
PLEASE NOTE: Kerasotes listings are for Friday, Oct. 30 through Thursday, Nov. 5. Bracketed show times are Saturday and Sunday only matinees or Friday and Saturday only late shows. All times are subject to change. For updates on Kerasotes films, call 1-800-FAN- DANGO.

Starting up, Cirque spins its wheels
A trend has emerged where franchise filmmaking is concerned. Often, the second part of a given series of movies winds up being better than the first. So much time is spent in part one on the exposition necessary to set up the character’s background and situation, that there’s little space left for anything truly interesting to happen.

Halloween happenings
First we’ll stop off at the vexing Curve Inn and check out the ominous Oohs, a frightening band from the standpoint of sheer talent, let alone the brilliant and amazing set list at their disposal.

BAND SPOTLIGHT
Getting a photo into the Best of Springfield issue surely grants the Groove Daddies a special award as the best band in Springfield to never win a category. The venerable group formed in 1990 with lead vocalist Gary Bloom as the heart and guitarist Jeff Kornfeld as the soul of the band.

PUB CRAWL
Girard. 9pm-1am. Los Dropos w/ Sarah Schneider Band.

Everybody’s weird at The Rocky Horror Show
Like me when I was in high school, I get the feeling that most of these people are coming just to fit in. The show rates itself “M” for Mature Audiences, although a more appropriate rating might be “I” for Immature Audiences. Normal shows remind patrons to switch off their cell phones and sit quietly — but Rocky Horror.

THE CALENDAR
Submit calendar listings at www.illinoistimes.com.

FOOD
Halloween weekend at the Farmer’s Market marks the end of the selling season with some ghostly-good fun and music. Register your kids (up to 12 years old) from 10 a.m. until judging at 11 a.m. Prizes will be awarded in three age categories. Register your dressed-up dog at 11:30 a.

MUSIC
Halloween evening at Sangamon Auditorium mixes holiday fun with fantastic music. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra plays the spooky soundtrack to the 1921 feature film, Nosferatu,.

MUSIC
Tuesday holds your chance to experience the voice and instrumental wonders of two-time Grammy, and seven-time Native American Music award, winner musician Bill Miller who performs at Lincoln Land Community College. Besides a folk and bluegrass singer/songwriter, Miller excels as a Native American flute master, guitarist and humanitarian ambassador.

MUSIC
Timothy Spelbring, University of Illinois doctoral candidate in organ performance and Yale School of Music graduate, leads this Halloween and All Saints concert with pieces such as Toccata and Fugue in D minor.

PUBLIC NOTICES
CONTROLLED STORAGE SYSTEMS, LLC NOTICE

NEWS QUIRKS
James Looney, 40, accidentally shot himself in the head while teaching firearms safety to his girlfriend in Imperial, Mo. Witnesses said Looney was demonstrating the different safety mechanisms on several guns and would put the gun to his head and ask his girlfriend if she thought the gun would fire, then pull the trigger.

THE ADVICE GODDESS
Several years ago, this co-worker I was interested in was always stopping by my desk to talk, so I gave her some turtle earrings (they related to a story she once told me). I guess I was trying to tell her I was interested, but she was leaving for two months, so it didn’t make sense to ask how she felt about me.

LOCAL BIZ DIRECTORY
Get your local biz in the IT Directory 13 weeks for $13 per week (up to 25 words) Call – 753-1724 • classifieds@illinoistimes.com.