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Springfield, learn from Detroit
Over the last decade Illinois has experienced remarkable growth; unfortunately it is not the type of growth that promotes prosperity: General Revenue Fund spending has grown by $10 billion, the state’s unfunded pension liability has almost tripled, our Medicaid liability has doubled and our unpaid bills total $5 billion.

Safe passage
In March a busy Springfield learned that the Dana-Thomas Foundation, the private nonprofit guardian of the state-owned and Wrightdesigned Dana-Thomas House at Fourth and Lawrence, had bought a two-story house a couple of doors west of the Amtrak tracks at 227 E.

Turning ‘Texas Education’ into an oxymoron
I, for one, am glad, because I love nuts – pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, youname-’em. But my favorite nuts, by far, are the homegrown natives that have taken root in one particularly fertile area of my state: the Texas Board of Education. You just can’t get any nuttier than this bunch!.

LETTERS
Designated as a High- Temperature Gas-Cooled Pebble Bed Reactor, the concept had been developed by ESKOM in South Africa and used tennis-ball size graphite spheres to encapsulate the U- 235 used to generate heat through the fission process.

farmer retirement poem #1
now that we don’t have milking we can travel says your mother and I agree—there are lots of places in rock county I haven’t seen we haven’t visited chamberlain spring in newark township in 15 years.

Pension reform will cost Quinn campaign cash
The breadth of the legislation and the speed by which it passed despite heated opposition by hugely powerful Statehouse interests has not been seen in Springfield in decades, if ever.

EGG-STRAORDINARY MEASURES
United Egg Producers and Feeding America will donate more than 12 million eggs, with Pearl Valley contributing a quarter of a million eggs to food banks across the state. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, roughly 11.1 percent of Illinoisans don’t have regular access to safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life.

RALLY FOR RIGHTS
One rally attendee named Martin, who declined to give his last name, says he brought his son Mauro, 10, to help spread the message that immigrants, legal or not, come to the United States to seek a better life..

Wind turbine harnesses small town potential
The Farmers Bank of Mt. Pulaski sits on the town’s hilltop, approximately 700 feet above sea level, across from a courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law as a member of the Illinois 8th Judicial Circuit. Built in 1862, the oldest bank in Logan County is a large white structure with a sloping roof similar to a barn’s.

A better future for two-wheelers
The Springfield Bicycle Advisory Council, set up in September 2009 to help create a more bicycle-friendly city, recently announced its plans to work with the Springfield Area Transportation Study and Leadership Springfield on two projects that will promote bicycling as a safe, convenient method of recreation and transportation.

Turn over the evidence
If victims seek help from an Illinois hospital, they’re subjected to four-to-six-hours of evidence collection. Trained staff swab vaginal and anal orifices, comb for loose hairs and scrape under fingernails. They draw blood, check for bite marks and collect the victims’ clothing.

Phosphorus is not for us
Phosphorus, a growth-stimulating nutrient often contained in fertilizer, is said to cause environmental damage by increasing aquatic plant and algae growth in bodies of water. The measure seeks to ban lawn care companies from using phosphorus-containing fertilizers unless a soil test proves a phosphorus deficiency.

The legacy of Brother James Court
Brother Anthony Joseph came to the St. James Trade School from Syracuse, N.Y., in 1967 to join the Franciscan Brothers in running the school. The Springfield school on the northeast side closed in 1972 following a 42-year run, after which the Brothers opened Brother James Court in 1975 to house and care for developmentally disabled men.

Health reform looks good from here
Ed and Diane Osman have health insurance. The Springfield couple buys health insurance separately from two different insurance companies, together paying more than $13,000 each year for what they hoped was protection from huge medical bills if they needed health care.

Eggscellent eggs
I’ve been travelling a lot lately. I always told my children that when they were grown, they either had to live close to home or someplace interesting to visit. They apparently took my words to heart, because one lives in New York, one in Boston, and one in Chicago.

RealCuisine Recipe
Fill 4 large jars such as quart canning jars or bowls about 2/3 full of cold water. Add a color to each container – if you want a brighter or deeper color, add more, for pastel colors, use less. The final color of the eggs will depend on the amount of color you use as well as the length of time the egg whites spend in the solutions.

Dragon lands on its feet
Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) doesn’t fit in on the island of Berk. His father Stoick (Gerard Butler), the leader of their Viking tribe, is confused by his weakling son and has assigned him as an apprentice to Gobber (Craig Ferguson) the village’s blacksmith.

Movie times
PLEASE NOTE: Kerasotes listings are for Friday, Apr 2 through Thursday, Apr 8. Bracketed show times are Fri-Sun only matinees or Fri-Sat only late shows. All times are subject to change. For updates on Kerasotes films, call 1-800-FANDANGO. For reviews of other films, visit www.

Hot Tub is lukewarm
When they fear their buddy Lou (Rob Corddry) has attempted suicide, Adam (John Cusack) and Nick (Craig Robinson) take him to a ski lodge they frequented in their youth, along with Adam’s video-game-playing nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke).

April Tomfoolery
Remy’s presents the fine jazz of the Rob Killam Quartet on Friday and Saturday with Springfield music legend David Hoffman sitting in on Saturday. Dave recently forsook the flugelhorn that made him famous as a member of the Ray Charles Orchestra for the oboe.

BAND SPOTLIGHT
Coming from four guys who claim to be, “just some fellas from the Midwest looking to change some lives,” Blackfeet makes a statement by being vague about what they are and being good at what they do.

PUB CRAWL
subject to last-minute changes, so we suggest calling before attending the event..

THE CALENDAR
Big Al’s Comedy Open Mic Night Hosted By Alan Perry.

ART
The Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Illinois Springfield presents an internationally juried exhibition of fine art titled Sustain..

CHILDREN
Second only to Santa’s delivery of presents at Christmas, the Easter egg hunt excites children to no end. Here are a few hunts around the area for you and your family to get your first taste of spring in the open air. April 3 at 10am, 11am and 12pm, Knights Action Park welcomes droves of kids for a large annual hunt with prizes and more.

POLITICS
Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas shares some of her rich perspective on the American presidency when she delivers a free public lecture Wednesday, April 7, in Jacksonville. Thomas, a fixture in the front row at presidential news conferences for more than four decades, has covered every U.

PETS
This is your chance to watch man’s best friend compete up close and in person Easter weekend at the Orr Building.

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 24th day of March, 2010 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of Sangamon County, stating that MICHAEL D.

WORKSHOPS
Promote your class, workshop or fundraiser here. Up to 30 words $10 per week; additional words .35 per word, per week. Contact your display ad rep OR email your ad (and contact info) to nbulli@illinoistimes.com.

NEWS QUIRKS
When Jonathon Michael Smith, 22, tried to buy a $28,000 pickup truck with a check, the manager of the Ford dealership in Fairbanks, Alaska, became suspicious. He checked with another car dealer and found Smith had used a forged check to buy a vehicle there.

THE ADVICE GODDESS
I’m absolutely appalled by your response to “Fatty With A Dream,” the woman whose boyfriend hasn’t touched her in over a year because she gained 40 pounds. Contrary to what you wrote, it isn’t unrealistic to expect your boyfriend to be attracted to you after you’ve gained weight.

FIND LOCAL BIZ
Promote your local biz in print and online Call Nan for details - 217/753-1724.