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Why did the children not cross the road?
The setting was breakfast, the mood nostalgic. I and three aging friends sat talking about mobility. No, not our corroded knees or where to buy replacement tips for our canes. We were recalling our youths, when — each growing up in a separate Midwestern town — our city was really ours.

Hoping for a new ethic in 2010
Yes, we are a country of rugged individualists, yet there’s also a deep, community-minded streak in each of us. We’re a people who believe in the notion that we’re all in this together, that we can make our individual lives better by contributing to the common good.

l’envoi: poem for carol
our loved friend carol manley two days before her sudden death emailed me about the poems in illinois times she wrote do you need material maybe you can do something with this from zay: “the girls were chasing the boys they wanted to put makeup on...

LETTERS
Honestly, I am wondering the same thing about myself. How did I not educate myself on these issues before now? I care about the safety of the food our community consumes. I want wholesome and safe food for myself so that I can be healthy. I want the same for others so that I don’t have to pay for their health care.

JOE KNOX
Once a powerhouse vote getter in Sangamon County Democrat politics, Knox was elected Sangamon County Clerk of the Circuit Court in 1956 and reelected in 1960 and 1964. In 1967 and again in 1971 he was elected Springfield’s Commissioner of Public Health and Safety.

The lives they lived
Each person makes a contribution to the larger community. Not only are families diminished, but Springfield is taken down a notch with each passing as well. This collection of lives remembered is IT’s.

ADAM PADGET
On a rainy October night, Athens was losing 15-6 to PORTA in the annual Blacktop Braggin’ Rights game. The three-year-old football team, who’d won only one game in the previous two varsity seasons, looked to their captain to clinch not only the win, but also their first winning record.

JOHN M. SKUBE, JR.
We laid him to rest in the middle of June, less than a month into his 92nd year. All of us remember him as a man grown old and in need of his walker. But most of us – there were six children – are lucky enough to remember him as a younger man, too.

JAMES ROBERT ENLOW
He was medically dead, with no heart rate for 24 minutes. The doctors told the Enlow family that there would be substantial brain damage as a result. As the family hoped for the best and expected the worst, they sat around the hospital room, praying and mindlessly watching Jeopardy.

ANITA JEAN TULL YUNG
I had the honor of taking care of my mom (with the help of countless other wonderful people) for the last few months of her life. I want no credit for that. It was a privilege and a great opportunity to spend that quality time with her. It was just like two girlfriends spending the day together.

ERIC HUCKABY, JR.
Eric, my friend of 15 years, was born on Nov. 17, 1969, and died tragically on Oct. 16, the victim of a senseless murder. He was one month shy of his milestone 40th birthday. It is a wrenching loss to his family and friends, and I will never recover..

HOWARD HUMPHREY
Howard Humphrey was the embodiment of the old cliché “larger than life.” A heavy-set, babyfaced jokester with a prodigious intellect and an unbridled zest for life, he was at center stage in Springfield’s business and civic communities for nearly four decades.

RICK VATTHAUER
Rick was an officer with Taylorville City Police for 24 years, the D.A.R.E. officer for 14 years and a member of the National Guard for 22 years. He had a master’s degree from UIS in community counseling and taught criminology classes for Lincoln Land Community College.

CATHERINE S. KALB
Cathie loved Christmas time, so there is no better time to celebrate her life and love than now. An avid animal enthusiast with love for her family and life in general, we are sure no one will ever forget her — or her smile. She loved to be at home with her beloved dogs just staying warm and decorating at this time of year.

DELBERT “DEL” REYNOLDS
We remember Del…who loved to sing — in quartets, the Faithfull men’s chorus and along with country music on the radio. …who loved working on his whimsical art, drawing cartoons and his fancy “lettering,” especially “Old English,” a lost art.

CONSTANCE A. MERRIFIELD
Constance Merrifield didn’t have the usual superpowers like flight, x-ray vision, or super speed, but she was blessed with a different kind of incredible gift. Merrifield, who died Nov. 13 from cancer, cared about others so much that she devoted her life to advocating on behalf of the disabled.

KENNETH “GENE” WELLENREITER JR.
Gene Wellenreiter came into my life about six years ago and taught me more about life and living through his death and dying than he will ever know. Gene was diagnosed with cancer on his 37th birthday and never made it to his 38th. He fought a courageous battle with his family and friends by his side through it all.

CAROL MANLEY
If you commute into town from the west side you may recall having seen a stout woman with straight blonde hair and glasses determinedly trudging along Madison, then later that afternoon she’d be sitting on a bench at Jefferson and Second waiting for a bus.

FES STEVENS
This phrase has been used to describe all types of individuals but I never knew anyone actually larger than life until I met Fes Stevens. Fes was my best friend and I guess that colors my judgment, but ask any old-timer from the Springfield theater community and you’d probably get a chuckling agreement.

WILLIAM G. HALL
By the front window overlooking the Old State Capitol, a jazz band plays the smooth, cool sounds he adored – the meaty bass, slick guitar, swinging drums, wailing sax and blazing trumpet playing just loud enough to overcome the laughter and nostalgic conversations that fill the room as a photo collage of his smiling face looks on.

EVA TROSTJOHNSON
My mother moved from Tovey to Chicago and met my dad during WWII, after her address was posted on a bulletin board at Fort Grant and he decided to write to her. It took a couple of years of correspondence and visits, but they married. They resided in North Aurora more than 50 years.

JOHN DAVID PETERSON
John was a loving son, both as a child and an adult. He had a great, if not warped, sense of humor. He loved listening to records as a child and music became his life. He would practice piano, then go off on a tangent composing and playing the music in his mind.

KATHY CONOUR
In 2002, Kathy Conour and Diana Braun drove to Columbus, Ohio, to talk to Academy Award-nominated director Alice Elliott. Conour, who had cerebral palsy, and Braun, who had Down syndrome, had lived together since 1970 and wanted Elliott to help them show other people with disabilities that they could be just as independent.

JOHN PRICE
John Oren Price was born Nov. 14, 1919, in Mulkeytown. He was raised on a farm with his six brothers and sisters. In 1941, he was drafted into the United States Army and served four years during World War II, mainly in the Pacific and New Guinea. The rest of his working days were spent on barges traveling the Mississippi River.

LARRY ROBINSON, SR.
When the Robinson family gathers for its annual New Year’s celebration, there will be one person missing: Larry Robinson, Sr. His absence will be a clear reminder that they will no longer watch him make his customary grand entrance — usually later than the designated time — and declare: “Larry’s in the house.

STEVEN OLSZEWSKI
Steven Olszewski, or “Steve-O” as he was known to his friends, was a wonderful son and little brother. With his untimely passing this year, I would like to share with you some stories of Steven that help to illustrate what a wonderful person (and amazing brother) he was.

LEONARD METZ
Leonard Metz was born on Sept. 5, 1918, in Cantrall. He led a happy and holy life that ended on Aug. 28. His life was devoted to his three loves – God, family and friends. He was a humble and quiet man who worked as a postal clerk for 35 years to financially support his family of seven children.

The rest of the story, 2009
It’s hard to believe I’m once again writing the last column of the year. As always, when I look back over what I’ve written during the last 12 months, I think of information I couldn’t include, because of my word limit. The limit is actually good.

The best films of 2009
If I learned one thing about the movies this year, it’s that digital 3-D films are here to stay and I, for one, am happy about it.

New Year’s Eve reinstated
Remember not so long ago in Now Playing land we discussed the rise of Thanksgiving Eve as the biggest party night connected to a holiday on the calendar? I’m not sure how you feel about that, but if you are at all saddened by this turn of events and...

PUB CRAWL
Submit calendar listings at www.illinoistimes.com.

BAND SPOTLIGHT
What do you mean you had no idea there was a band from central Illinois that just signed to a record label? Renae, a local, hard-hitting, hard-working, sorta, indie-rock band just hooked up with Hotfoot Records out of New York with all the good intentions of taking their sound national.

ARTS
A soft, prize-ball blast will be launched above the crowd — with three lucky catchers reaping cash prizes of $25, $50 or $100. Throughout the evening, the Springfield Municipal Opera, Springfield Ballet Company, Springfield Theatre Centre, Debbie Ross Band, Senses and Ultraviolet perform in two theaters.

THE CALENDAR
2009 Firefighters/Postal Club New Year’s Eve Winter Wonderland.

MUSIC
The picturesque Presbyterian Sanctuary hosts four distinct musical acts during First Night Springfield that you are sure to enjoy. Representing the sound and dance of Ireland, Wales and Scotland are the St. Andrew’s Society Pipes, Drums and Celtic Dancers.

CHILDREN
Springfield High School brims with the laughter and togetherness of families on New Year’s Eve afternoon where First Night Springfield offers activities and entertainment for kids. The popular DePriest Puppets perform from 1:30-2pm, and hands-on activities include a harmonica workshop with the charismatic Mark Russillo.

THEATER
Three free performances of the compelling 1892 drama The Yellow Wallpaper.

PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE UNDER ASSUMED BUSINESS NAME ACT STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF SANGAMON TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that on 2nd day of December, 2009 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of...

THE ADVICE GODDESS
I’m planning to marry my boyfriend in December. I love how he makes me feel like a supermodel, even though I’m slightly overweight, and how he’s always saying he loves me. This is in sharp contrast to my mentally abusive ex-husband always saying he never loved me.

NEWS QUIRKS
Los Angeles police broke up a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation they found 25 feet from the back door of the police station. Officers noticed the strong smell of pot coming from the building and notified the narcotics squad, which investigated.

FIND LOCAL BIZ
cramps, stiffness, athletic injury and arthritis are just a few of the conditions that respond excellently to these therapy packs that provide moist heat to where you need it most. Just heat in your microwave. 529-482, tschoen52@sbcglobal.net.