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All history is personal
The Sangamon County Historical Society turns 50 years old this year. Judged by such new initiatives as a Web-based encyclopedia of area history, the Society is – it pains me to say this – more spry than most of its members who, like me, were already well out of diapers when the Society was founded in 1961.

Nuclear reactor Russian roulette
With President Obama and Congress pushing ahead with efforts to offer up federal construction loan guarantees totaling $54.5 billion, what was the risk of taxpayers getting stuck holding the bag in the event these nuclear projects defaulted? And, why should taxpayers even be expected to assume such a risk?.

GOP House chooses big oil over Granny
Next comes 10.7. That’s the $10.7 billion in profits that this oil giant has soaked up in just the first three months of this year – a new record, not achieved by any managerial genius, increased productivity or improvement in customer service, but solely by the jack-up in gasoline prices.

LETTERS
I have to say I don’t follow the goings on of the Springfield City Council all that closely but I am flabbergasted at Ald.

flowerstore owner’s lament poem #1
mothers who live in mobile homes deserve flowers mothers who live in mcmansions deserve flowers mothers who live in shelters, under bridges, in trees, deserve flowers mothers who live on the north side east side west side south side deserve flowers...

Nuclear reactor Russian roulette
Before the Fukushima disaster, Wall Street was unwilling to put private capital into new nuclear reactors. Too risky, they said. In the aftermath of this ongoing tragedy, you can bet they will be even less enthusiastic about assuming such huge risks..

How will new Chicago mayor work with Statehouse?
Rahm Emanuel will be sworn in as Chicago’s new mayor on May 16, just 15 days before the end of the state legislative session.

SUSTAINABLE CITY
The plan will encourage and improve existing recycling practices by distributing recycling bins to residents free of charge. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the city an Energy Efficiency Conservation block grant to help implement waste recycling and improve land use planning.

MONUMENTAL
back, champing at the bit with plans to support our 16th president’s tomb. Originally started immediately after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, the Lincoln Monument Association helped pick the location and design for the tomb, which stands 117 feet high in Springfield’s Oak Ridge Cemetary.

What did Mortenson do with Springfield’s money?
Mortenson appeared in Springfield on March 3, visiting students at Lakeview Elementary School, being feted at a $125 a plate dinner at UIS’s PAC restaurant, and then speaking about his charities to a full house at Sangamon Auditorium. He was well-received at each venue.

Medicaid cuts threaten nursing home staff, services
“We were doing pretty good until she got sick,” John Riech, 74, says with an audible sigh. Phyllis Riech, 70, has Alzheimer’s disease and has lived through heart attacks, breast cancer and several other medical problems over the past year. Even though she lives at Capitol Care Center, a nursing home located at 555 W Carpenter St.

How should police handle the mentally ill?
Wilkins, 55 and a resident of Springfield, claims he has been detained by city or county law enforcement in Springfield another four times since New Year’s Eve. Each time, he says, he has simply been walking or otherwise minding his own business. But it isn’t being detained that bothers him the most; it’s how he is treated.

Wind turbines still in the forecast for Sangamon County
“The wind turbine uses the wind to create the electricity,” he says. Although the miniature model turbine he holds in his Fifth Street office is only about a foot long, just the foundation of one life-size wind turbine can take up to 450 cubic yards of concrete, and reach up to 480 feet when the blade is vertical.

Grads from around the globe
Over the last decade the University of Illinois Springfield has slowly but steadily increased the number of international students in attendance, reaching 5 percent of the overall student body in graduate studies and working toward the same ratio for undergraduates by the fall of 2012.

Grads from around the globe
“Their style is based on a rote system with not much creativity involved. My teaching work helps me to understand some of the difficulties students have adjusting to the American education system,” she explains. “We discovered, too, that most Chinese students find colleges through agencies.

More than able to succeed
That’s the advice Alex Carrano, 24, received from staff to deal with her learning disability and test anxiety at a former university before she transferred to University of Illinois Springfield.

More than able to succeed
For Jonathan Vongkorad, it took time but he has come to terms with a once debilitating learning disability that still makes reading in front of others uncomfortable. Growing up, he says he loved to learn but struggled with reading because of dyslexia. Even the first two years at UIS were a struggle, but he didn’t seek help.

The sponges of spring
It was my mom, gently shaking my shoulder. “We’re going to Aunt Bessie and Uncle Bill’s to hunt for sponge mushrooms.” My eyes popped completely open, all protests forgotten, and I began getting dressed. I may not have liked getting up early, but there was no way I’d miss one of the iconic events of spring in my family.

RealCuisine Recipe
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and garlic and sauté until they are softened but not browned. Strain the shallot/garlic mixture through a slotted spoon and set aside.

Thor visually muddled but worth seeing
Exiled from the heavenly realm of Asgard by his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), for the sin of hubris, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is forced to live among mortals until he learns the lesson of humility. Making matters worse is that he’s been stripped of the source of his power, the mystic hammer Mjolnir, which has also been cast to Earth.

From Ha Ha Tonka to Freedy
I do believe this season could be the best Bedrock 66 Live! series ever. Already we’ve had so much national talent hanging out at the Hoogland, who could ask for more? The nice thing is you don’t have to ask for it, all you have to do is pay for it and go to it.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Jason Sturgeon
Born and raised in Peterson, Ind., (pop. 3,500, salute!), Jason Sturgeon spent his youth in pastoral plenty, singing songs for his family, working rural, small-town jobs, listening to country and hard rock and riding quarter horses for competition.

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

THEATER | Hammy parody
Direct from Broadway to Sangamon Auditorium, UIS, Monty Python’s Spamalot.

THE CALENDAR
Dates, times and locations are subject to last-minute changes, so we suggest calling before attending the event..

MUSIC | Rock on
WUIS Bedrock 66 Live Series welcomes Missouri quartet Ha Ha Tonka and New York’s Freedy Johnston to the Hoogland Center for the Arts May 14. Tonka’s new album, Death of a Decade,.

THE CALENDAR
Springfield/Central Illinois Film Commission Meeting.

THE CALENDAR
May 12, 19, 4-7pm, Every Thursday from May 12 through Oct 20 (except during the IL State Fair), Fresh local food and entertainment. Commodity Pavilion. 785-4873. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave..

CHILDREN | Bird friendly
Renowned Peoria Storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis portrays famous birdman John James Audubon telling stories at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. about his famous trek across Illinois 200 years ago. At 2:30 p.m. Mr. Audubon gives a tour of the new museum exhibition Changes.

PUBLICNOTICES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JOHN LINLEY AUER, Deceased Case No: 2011-P-093 DEATH AND CLAIM NOTICE NOTICE IS GIVEN of the death of JOHN L. AUER. Letters of Office were issued on February 22, 2011 to JONATHAN C.

NEWSQUIRKS
The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department solved a 2004 murder case after homicide investigator Kevin Lloyd recognized the crime depicted in a tattoo on the chest of Anthony Garcia, 25.

AMY ALKON
I offhandedly mentioned to a friend that I thought her married brother was really cute. She revealed that his divorce (from a 10-year marriage) would soon be final. (It will be at the end of this month.) She then played matchmaker. He and I have been dating for three months.