What was that again?
I should explain. I learned almost everything I know except how to burn dinner from books. The people and places I read about were not discussed by the people around me, nor did I seek out the company of people who might have discussed them. As a result I “heard” their names with my mind’s ear, as it were.

School safety is larger than Newtown
On Dec 14, 2012, the nation was stunned and sickened by a senseless tragedy that took the lives of 26 innocent people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. This horrific act has again brought the issue of school safety to the forefront across the country.

Editor’s note
Only now, after the District 186 school board voted to close the popular and successful Capital College Preparatory Academy, is Springfi eld realizing the size of the board’s error. There are other ways to close the budget gap while allowing the school to continue closing the achievement gap.

Jamie gets punished
It’s about a fellow named Jamie. He lives in New York City, and he has recently had a very rough go with a large financial institution. The giant in this case is JPMorgan Chase, Wall Street’s biggest bank, and it went after poor Jamie Dimon hard. In the end, the bank took more than half his income.

LETTERS
MARRIAGE EQUALITY On behalf of ourselves and the religious community we serve, the Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Springfield, we wish to publicly add our voices in support of the legislation in favor of marriage equality that is to be considered by the Illinois General Assembly.

Polls peg Madigan above Quinn and Daley
Madigan also leads Quinn and former White House chief of staff Bill Daley in a threeway contest, according to the poll, but Quinn leads Daley in a one-on-one race. And a large plurality of Democrats disapprove of the governor’s job performance. The We Ask America poll has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

OBESITY BE GONE
For people who are morbidly obese, weight loss can seem impossible. It’s easy to prescribe diet and exercise, but it’s not always as simple as that. Eating healthy is often out of reach for people with small incomes, and exercise isn’t so easy for people with arthritis or other mobility problems.

Will he or won’t he?
It is the sort of thing risk-averse politicians on the make often do, and Schock has learned that being bold isn’t always being smart.

HOW TO AUDITION
Do you fi nd yourself belting out songs and dancing? Or have you ever imagined yourself on stage? Before you audition for the next big hit, why not have the proper training? The Springfi eld Municipal Opera will hold an Auditions Workshop in preparation for their upcoming auditions for the 2013 season.

Scratching an itch
The only certain things are that the hat was made in Springfield and would have fit Lincoln. Nonetheless, the museum display contains no hint that the hat has anything but an ironclad provenance, and museum officials have insisted that the hat is genuine.

MMA mania
In an unassuming beige garage on the edge of town, two muscular, tattooed young men circle around and around, punching, kicking and grappling with one another with all the intensity of a dogfight. A lightning-fast back kick misses its mark, blocked instinctively by the other fighter.

A beloved teacher, counselor and activist commemorated
After a long and full life, Caryl Moy died Oct. 29, 2010. Now, through a gift from her husband and sons, this exceptional woman’s name will be long remembered through research performed at both the University of Illinois Springfield and the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

RIP Hostess
As a child, I occasionally shared a classmate’s Twinkie or Ding Dong, mildly enjoying them. But my mom’s and grandmother’s made-from-scratch baked goods were far superior. Oreos (which I loved) and gingersnaps (which I loathed) were the only purchased baked sweets at home.

Side Effects effective on two fronts
Though it is difficult to get a solid number, it is estimated that over 10 million Americans are currently being treated for depression through the use of prescription drugs. Counseling and exercise play a large part in treatment as well, however, prescription drugs have the most profound and direct effect on patient behavior.

Blues news and Mardi Gras gossip
As you may have noticed, the famed party called Mardi Gras is a moveable feast. Basically it’s a big shindig called Carnival ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. The coming of Easter is a Christian holiday timed to moon phases and therefore the whole ordeal changes annually.

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

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
Son of the legendary accordion player and Zydeco master Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., Dwayne “Dopsie” Rubin comes into his heritage honestly and avidly.

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

HISTORY | Yoke of yesteryear
The University of Illinois Springfield is holding more than a dozen events in February to celebrate Black History Month. Highlights this week are a Celebration of Gospel on Sunday, Feb. 10, from 6-9 p.m., in Brookens Auditorium showcasing the history of gospel music and its artists and musicians.

THEATER | Touching testament
Begin your Valentine celebrations a little early by attending Love Letters.

HISTORY | Presidential proceedings
Postville Courthouse in Lincoln and Mt. Pulaski Courthouse in Mt. Pulaski are celebrating Lincoln’s birthday a few days early on Saturday, Feb. 9, with refreshments, speakers and tours. Mt. Pulaski will have a children’s area and Abraham Lincoln Scavenger Hunt from 1 to 3:30 p.

MUSIC | Punk-rock spirit
WUIS Bedrock 66 Series rolls in another winning musical act at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Feb. 9. Paul Collins Beat features Paul Collins, who got his start in The Nerves whose claim to fame includes touring with The Ramones and having their song “Hanging on the Telephone” become a Blondie hit.