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True unbelievers
It would be nice if our rightward-leaning Republicans, whose politics is at heart a nostalgia for an idealized past, yearned for a return to the Rhode Island of the 17th century. You might have read of Mr. Santorum’s reaction to JFK’s famous speech to national religious leaders in 1960.

Keystone pipeline can bring prosperity to Illinois
Nevertheless, this decision falls particularly hard on America’s unemployed. Keystone was predicted to create tens of thousands of much-needed jobs, both by directly employing construction personnel and stimulating job growth in communities along the pipeline’s pathway.

Woody at 100
In these times of tinkle-down economics – with the money powers thinking that they’re the top dogs and that the rest of us are just a bunch of fire hydrants – we need the hard-hitting (yet uplifting) musical stories, social commentaries and inspired lyrical populism of Woody Guthrie.

LETTERS
The Tamms Correctional Center has been an integral part of the Illinois Department of Corrections strategy to reduce violence in an already overcrowded prison system. The employees at Tamms have done a remarkable job in managing the most violent and disruptive inmates in Illinois since its opening in 1998.

Keystone pipeline can bring prosperity to Illinois
Waiting inside this pipeline are $20 billion in new spending for the U.S. economy, an increase of $6.5 billion in the personal income of Americans and more than $585 million in additional state and local taxes, according to an independent economic study released by the Perryman Group in June 2010.

Roll-your-own cigs roil Republicans
The stores sell their customers loose, bulk tobacco and then the customers dump the product into special rolling machines, which cost several thousand dollars each.

Sewer upgrade estimated at $65 million
In a draft plan submitted to the state, the district proposes spending $65 million over 20 years. The money would be spent to install larger sewer collection pipes, close at least one overflow outfall to a tributary of the Sangamon River and otherwise increase the amount of effluent that reaches the sewage treatment plant during heavy rains.

TREATMENT TREAT
With the rising costs of health care, many people without health insurance opt to forgo basic checkups in the hope that they simply won’t get sick. The same goes for many of our nation’s homeless people to an even greater extent. But that need not be the case when a community works together.

HOORAY!
This is Sunshine Week, an annual reminder that government should be transparent, organized by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Reporters Committee For Freedom of the Press. Why March? The observance is held the same week as the March 16 birthday of James Madison, who drafted the Bill of Rights.

Time to graduate?
As Illinois grapples with another round of difficult budget cuts, some lawmakers want to eliminate the state’s constitutional flat-rate income tax requirement, opening the door for what some experts call a more equitable and lucrative graduated income tax.

Ferreting out fraud
Gov. Pat Quinn announced a state budget last month that requires $2.7 billion in cuts to Medicaid. While lawmakers look at restricting eligibility and treatments to shave costs, at least two state agencies are working together to stop abuses of the massive program.

Parachutes get more golden at GateHouse
On the same day that GateHouse in its annual report disclosed shrinking revenue and profits, LinkedIn, the online company that connects employers with job candidates, reported that newspapers have, percentage-wise, shed more jobs during the past five years than any other industry in the United States.

The new 96th
Five candidates are running, but only one will win the race to represent parts of Springfield and Decatur in the new 96th Representative District. The first leg of the race is the March 20 primary election that will eliminate all but two candidates.

The new 96th
Shackelford has also has served as a member of the Business Advisory Board for Central Illinois Banks, as a charter member of the Rochester Education Foundation and as a member of Chamber of Commerce organizations in Christian, Macon and Sangamon counties.

The new 96th
Scherer has a strong chance of winning, based solely on the fact that she has received the largest amount of campaign contributions. However, she seems to have made few attempts to publicly address the issues of the 96th district, preferring instead to attack other candidates.

Injured, he helps others with brain injuries
William “Bill” Shea’s wheelchair sits in the corner of his basement. It is both a reminder of the past and a foreshadowing of the future. At 59, Shea embodies the qualities of an Olympian. He is physically fit, resilient and determined. This has not always been the case.

Have a spirited St. Patrick’s Day
It starts early every March – earlier, really. No sooner does the Valentine’s Day paraphernalia disappear from stores – after a week or so of post-holiday discounts – than a rash of green takes its place: green felt bowlers and top hats, corny cardboard leprechauns, glittery shamrock garlands, green wigs and more.

21 Jump Street funny and smart
In an effective prologue we meet Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum), two high school students who are as far apart socially as Mercury is to Pluto. While the former is awkward socially but a whiz in the classroom, the latter is a popular jock who’s as dumb as a post.

Under the Irish influence
In Springfield our Celtic heritage runs deep, with St. Patrick’s Day as one of our most anticipated holidays, celebrated with the long-running marching band parade on the nearest Saturday to March 17.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Jason & the Haymakers
Now a Nashville recording artist, Jason Bertrand originally came from a small, rural town in Illinois and attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. There he spent time working on a cover country band with reckless abandon and also discovered his calling of playing honest country music.

PUB CRAWL
Open Mic w/ Sam Draper and Kortney Leatherwood.

THE CALENDAR
Pondicherry Lodge/ Sherlock Holmes Society.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Marooned motorists
Internationally recognized New York City photographer Amy Stein will have her exhibit, “Stranded,”.

MUSIC | African grace
Get ready to put your hands together as you head to Sangamon Auditorium, UIS on Sunday, March 18, to hear the multi-Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir. The concert, titled “African Grace,” features the vibrant rhythm movement and the renowned vocal harmonies of this 52-member worldwide acclaimed group.

THE CALENDAR
Springfield Classical Guitar Society Concert.

MUSICAL | Colorful comedy
This Tony-award winning musical features puppets, with their masters in full view, but don’t let the furry little guys fool you – these fellows are more like the older dudes on Fraggle Rock than the young’ns on Sesame Street. And their bite of sarcasm and realism makes this an adult-audience-only show.

THE CALENDAR
Exceptionalism to The Golden Rule: Eyewitness Reports from Afghanistan.” Free Year of Compassion event. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St, 217- 753-4900..

MUSIC | Rock show
www.thepinkfloydexperience.net.

NATURE | Growing knowledge
The University of Illinois Extension Sangamon and Menard County Master Gardeners are putting on a Gardeners Day Saturday, March 17, at Cherry Hills Baptist Church. Nine one-hour seminars are slated to be facilitated by the U of I Extension specialist, Master Gardener volunteers and local horticulture experts.

THE CALENDAR
Frances Cabrini Church, 1020 N Milton Avenue, 793-3933. Springfield Christian Women’s Connection.

PARADE | Irish fête
The luck of the Irish, or at least the green, descends on downtown Springfield during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, March 17, at high noon. The parade is emceed by Amie Menenghetti of COOL 101.9 and Liz Willis of 100.5 WYMG who are stationed at the reviewing stand in the family friendly area on Sixth Street.

CPUBLIC NOTICES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SEV- ENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CAROLYN ANN WILLBANKS, Deceased NO. 2012-P-00067 DEATH AND CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given to claimants of the Estate of Carolyn Ann Willbanks, Deceased.