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Just what you want to do
Springfield’s School District 186 has set up a web page titled “Where Are They Now?” On it, graduates of Springfield public schools are invited to “share their success stories with the SPS community.

Don’t leave city budget to consultants
Last week’s bizarre discussion at the city council committee meeting about the vote to deny employees in civil unions health benefits obscured another important issue raised that night.

Mediocre candidates and corporate cash
Not just into a new year, but – zap! – suddenly we find ourselves catapulted en masse into the turbulent Twilight Zone of the 2012 presidential election. On day three of the year, while most of us were still woozy from our New Year’s Eve celebration, Iowa voted.

LETTERS
When do longer prison sentences and harsher punishments become counterproductive and financially irresponsible? For the past four decades politicians have built their careers on the get-tough-on-crime mantra. Since the 1970s, the states have doubled or quadrupled their prison populations.

Don’t leave city budget to consultants
Or perhaps the lack of concern by some aldermen and the administration’s detached demeanor indicates that all are prepared to acquiesce to the Maximus recommendations. Elected officials hate making unpopular decisions, even when warranted, and expert studies often soften the blow.

Quinn’s plan shows state can’t afford to let tax hike expire
The governor submitted a three-year revenue and spending projection last week as he’s required to do by a new Illinois law. The bottom line of Quinn’s projection is that revenues are simply not high enough to match what Quinn wants to spend.

ICE ABES
Keeping that new year’s resolution to get in shape can be next to impossible if you try to do it alone. But if you don’t mind a little cold weather, you can get some motivation and support from a whole slew of like-minded people by joining one of Springfield’s friendliest running groups.

VIDEO POLITICS
Nightingale and her 10-person team, who run and maintain the website from their homes, have created and opened for business (Monday, Jan. 9) politiview.com, a nonpartisan real-time video marketplace for political candidates, in an attempt to give voters the opportunity to understand and interact with potential candidates.

Career center gets a teaching windmill
“I kept seeing all these wind turbines being put up while I was driving back and forth from Chicago to Springfield and I started thinking ‘You know, if we are going to be putting them up in the state, we should have people within the state who know how to work on them,’” Gain said.

Ameren Illinois launches 10-year modernization plan
In a press release, Ameren said that over the next decade an additional $625 million will be invested in updating the Ameren Illinois electric delivery system, while also creating 450 new jobs during the program’s peak year. Ameren Illinois serves 20,767 customers in Sangamon County.

Fighting for exoneration of a convict long dead
“The simple answer is, it’s the right thing to do,” says Paul Echols, a former lieutenant for the Carbondale Police Department who was scheduled to testify this week in a hearing before the state Prison Review Board. “When all the facts are put together, it’s blatantly obvious the wrong man went to prison.

Jail guard accused of kicking inmate
It’s not clear why Robert Redpath, 44, wasn’t charged with a crime after department brass found that he had grabbed an inmate by the face and slammed his head toward a bench in the jail booking area in September, 2009, which merited a three-day suspension from duty.

Don’t blame community banks
The crisis was caused mainly by a combination of poorly-vetted “subprime” mortgages bound to fail, complex financial instruments that hid bad loans, excessive borrowing and lending by large banks, and a poor understanding by federal regulators of the system they were supposed to oversee.

How to manage personal debt
women living in fully developed countries. Estimates vary, but numerous surveys have indicated the average American household has more than $10,000 in credit card debt, a figure that doesn’t include debt such as mortgages, car loans or student loans..

Simple ways to save money
If the ongoing recession has taught people anything, it’s the need for saving money. Many people were caught off guard by the recession, and studies have shown just how little men and women had saved before the bottom fell out on the economy.

Plan ahead to survive the next recession
question of when the global economy’s struggles will end remains a mystery. One thing we do know is that when the economy does finally rebound, it won’t remain stable forever, and it’s imperative that men and women prepare for the next recession, even if that preparation begins before the current recession ends.

Of beets and borscht
The best chefs are always searching for new ingredients to expand their culinary creativity. Often those ingredients aren’t really new, but have only recently become available. It may be a Middle Eastern spice mixture, or a fruit, such as the Indonesian mangosteen, that’s only recently been approved for import to the U.

RealCuisine Recipe
Aside from pickling, the best-known beet preparation has long been borscht, a soup that originated in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Streep’s steely performance propels Lady
One of the more polarizing political figures of the 20th century, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, still inspires passionate support or derision some 21 years after she reluctantly stepped away from the office she occupied. It comes as no surprise that Phyllida Lloyd’s biographical film of Thatcher, The Iron Lady,.

Talking with Todd
I just had the best time visiting with Todd Snider on the phone. I’ve always heard he was a nice guy and he even wrote a song called “Alright Guy” that made number one on the country charts. Now I know for sure he’s cool as can be and getting along quite well.

PUB CRAWL
Pat Russell Acoustic w/ special guest Kevin Wasmer.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Eric Lee Beddingfield
From his hometown of Augusta, Ga., Eric Lee Beddingfield has scaled the heights of country music stardom to play on the Grand Ole Opry, plus record with George Jones and Dolly Parton, while sharing the stage with many of the big names in the industry.

THEATER | Check mate
Laurie O’ Brien directs Springfield Theatre Center’s production of Chess,.

THE CALENDAR
Jan 25, 6-7pm, Group discusses popular fiction and nonfiction meets fourth Wednesday of month in Carnegie Room South. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St, 217-753-4900..

CHILDREN | Play time
Kids third through fifth grade get to have an awesome time at the Y while parents get a little time to themselves on Saturday, Jan. 14. Dance to the music, create a work of art, watch a movie, play ball and play games. Learn a little more about this event, offered eight times a year and other great events and activities at the downtown Y at www.

THE CALENDAR
Jan 18, 4pm, Come use your imagination to explore new places and discover some classic books. Jacksonville Public Library, 201 West College Ave, Jacksonville, 243-5435..

THE CALENDAR
Jan 13, 6-11pm, Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Illinois “Casino Royale.” The Boulevard Band, silent auction, food and celebrity bartenders. All proceeds help children in West Central Illinois. Tickets at BBBS Jacksonville Office, Farmers State Bank, BoS of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, County Market.

THE CALENDAR
Jan 14, 9-9:50am and 10:20-11:20am, Celebrate National Skating Month with free skate for first 75 skaters at two sessions. Regional Medalists and Hockey team exhibition 10-10:20 a.m. Nelson Center Ice Arena, Lincoln Park, 1601 N. Fifth St, 217-494-4134..

SPORTS | Home run
It’s a home run for baseball lovers as the Cardinals Caravan rolls into the Prairie Capital Convention Center Monday, Jan. 16. Fans can join in to meet current players Fernando Salas, Tony Cruz, Matt Carpenter and Jordan Swagerty; Cardinals alumni Rex Hudler, Andy Benes and Al Hrabosky and broadcasters.

PUBLICNOTICES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SEV- ENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS ESTATE OF: DOROTHY Z. SHEEDY, Deceased, No.: 2011-P-660 CLAIM NOTICE AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS NOTICE IS GIVEN of the death of Dorothy Z. Sheedy. Letters of office were issued on December 29, 2011, to John G.