Illinois has long been content to be a C-minus kind of state. That’s about the grade the 2010 census gave the state for its performance during the Oughts, when the number of people living in Illinois grew by only 3.3 percent while the nation as a whole increased its numbers by 9.

John W. Kindt, a U of I business and legal policy professor, is an expert on environmental law who has studied the regulation of nuclear power since the 1970s. He discusses the future of nuclear power in the U.S. with News Bureau Business and Law editor Phil Ciciora.

In March of last year, Massey Energy Corp.’s official record book for recording unsafe conditions in its Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia said flatly: “none observed.” It turns out that this was a flat-out lie. Just one month later, Upper Big Branch exploded, killing 29 miners and devastating their families.

NO TO NUKES In regards to your recent article about nuclear power and the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant [see “The nuke next door,” by Rachel Wells, June 16]: Is nuclear power safe? No it is not. Is nuclear power economically feasible now? No it is not..

That was the wrong thing to happen, because now we have all of these aging nuclear power plants, and 75 percent of them are leaking tritium into the groundwater. We’ve also lost the continuity of how to upgrade the older plants. We don’t have an industry that knows how to upgrade what’s been aging for the last 40 years.

The issue burst into the open during a late April hearing of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee when the state’s director of Rehabilitation Services threatened to shut down the Illinois School for the Deaf and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired if the committee followed through on its proposed overall spending limits.

The broiling heat of summer couldn’t melt the spirits of about 16 teens volunteering their time at the community garden in the state fairgrounds on Tuesday. The high school-aged youth mulched, weeded and cleaned several gardens inside the horse racing track this week, having a bit of fun as they worked.

More than 8,000 miles and three decades separate the quiet fields at Jubilee Farm west of Springfield from the violence and death of the Vietnam War. But for Richard Tapia, a Springfield veteran of the Vietnam War, there is a common element to both places: the camaraderie and trust of a fellow veteran.

Richard deVerdier, of the Illinois Coalition of Appraisal Professionals (ICAP) board of directors and a state-certified real estate appraiser, says the profession is constantly changing. Appraisers who participate in professional appraisal organizations can keep up with new developments and meet a higher standard.

Michael Sanders, 46, of Springfield, a former data processing technician with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) since 2005, is suing CMS in federal court on claims that the state agency violated his right to medical privacy and fired him without cause.

Step right up! Welcome to the Illinois State Fairgrounds, where kids can milk cows, and cows can win ribbons and anyone 21 years and older can contribute to an electronic, press-abutton, hear-a-beep, wait-to-(probably)-losewhile-it-looks-like-you’re-winning casino king’s cash cow – the slot machine.

“About a third of the fairs actually have horse racing used as a training ground for the horses to go on to the big tracks,” Moore says. “So the racing industry needs county fairs.” He adds that rural communities need the business county fairs bring to them each year.

“We’ve taken a gamble thinking we would get this up to this point,” Ken Walker says about the racino legislation approved by the General Assembly in May.

“We’re up in arms against the drug industry, and people in the drug industry would shrug their shoulders and say, ‘Why pick on me? I’m doing exactly what the casinos are doing. I’m bringing employment to the community,’” Gottheil says. “Well, that’s not the kind of employment we want, and that’s what it boils down to – what do we want?” Rev.

I’ve always been mystified when I hear about children refusing to eat vegetables – any vegetables, not just one or two – or viewing them as inherently awful. Vegetables in their grandparents’ produce farm and our garden were an integral part of my kids’ life.

Discovering where their food comes from and how it’s grown can also be an adventure of exploration that widens kids’ perspective. On Monday, July 25, Slow Food Springfield will present “Kid’s Day at the Farm, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Heck’s Harvest and Veentra’s Vegetables.

The film is constructed like a well-tuned clock, picking up precisely where the previous installment left off, building up a head of steam as the action steadily increases from one elaborate set piece to another.

Try tossing out the name Hurricane Ruth in a conversation about area music and see what happens. Most folks from back in the day are likely to have a story about a particularly stupendous performance or perhaps a terrific tale of those heady times. Voted top blues band by the now-defunct Prairie Sun.

As area bands go, Area 51 just keeps going. Now in their second decade of performance as a unit, Jeff Loftus (drums, vocals), Larry Dupont (vocals, sax, bass), Larry Crowley (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals) and Rod Vansandt (guitars, vocals, bass) continue to play the top shelf shows in central Illinois.

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

Find more details and gigs in our online calendar at www.illinoistimes.com.

MUSIC | Thunder rock.

discusses writing and field journal process for his book, “Side Channels: A Collection of Nature Writing and Memoir.” Adams Wildlife Sanctuary, 2315 East Clear Lake Ave, 217-544- 2473. Friends Sweet Corn Book Sale.

DANCE Central IL Singles/Couples Dance.

498-7192. Rochester Community Park, Rochester. Springfield/Central Illinois Film Commission Meeting.

For 38 years the Chatham Jaycees have thrown a fun party made famous by scrumptious mouth-watering sweet corn and something else not so mouth-watering that gets thrown – cow chips. The Illinois Championship Cow Chip Throw starts at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday where you can fling two dried dodos for only $5.

$20, $7.50 kids at door or phone 962-0211 or 528-5627. La Loma Mexican Restaurant, 2433 S. MacArthur Blvd. Vigil for Peace.

The public is invited to a 1800s party and book premiere on the Edwards Place grounds as the Springfield Art Association commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The ice cream social features the Springfield International Folk Dancers, free ice cream, children’s activities and re-enactors.

Jul 23, 12-6pm, Mt. Zion Apostolic Church Youth Department presents local and state-wide singing groups. Vendors, school supply giveaway. Free. 523-1325. Comer Cox Park, Capitol Ave and Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Springfield ..

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