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The right combination of sensibilities
“Write what you know” reads the first line of the Writers’ Oath, and Rich knew sports. He was a capable two-sport (baseball and basketball) varsity athlete for Harper High in the tough Chicago Public League. “Rich’s prose exhibited far more control than his fast ball,” recalls a lifelong pal of his.

Clearing up the record on human origins
I write regarding the March 14 article written by Lavern McNeese, titled “Africans lived here first.” It was based upon a presentation entitled “The African-American Presence in the Mississippi Valley Before 1492,” given by Kaba Kamene at the SIU School of Medicine on Feb.

Editor’s note
Nobody could accuse Mayor Mike Houston of being entertaining when he delivered his State of the City address to Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce members at an April 8 luncheon sponsored by the Commercial Real Estate Network.

Wall Street hogs still running wild
But, suddenly last summer, a big “oink” erupted from Chase, and Jamie’s inner hoggishness was revealed. It started when one of Chase’s investment arms went awry and lost $2 billion. At first, Dimon haughtily dismissed this as “a tempest in a teapot.” But the loss of investors’ money soon grew to a staggering $6 billion dollars.

LETTERS
FRACKING STINKS I am writing to argue for a moratorium against fracking in Illinois (SB 1418). Chicago environmentalists argue that “fracking is going to happen anyway.” That is a total capitulation to the industry. The bill that the environmentalists endorse (HB2615) is amazing in the things it does not prevent.

Changing tunes on gay marriage
Back in January, for instance, newly elected state Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, freely admitted that gay marriage was at the heart of his desire to oust state GOP Chairman Pat Brady, who’d recently announced his support for a Senate bill to legalize same sex marriage.

GARDEN RUN
In 1936, Harriet Knudson of Springfi eld helped create a sanctuary on the then-new Springfi eld Lake for plants native to Abe Lincoln’s home states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Today, that scenic 100-acre woodland known as the Lincoln Memorial Garden holds six miles of trails and footbridges that make it an inviting place to run.

Criminal charges possible
The city tried to fire Matt Winters, a City Water, Light and Power worker who helped cut down a tree at a house owned by his brother last year, but an arbitrator reduced the termination to a 30-day suspension.

DEMOCRACY IN JEROME
The Springfi eld School Board is an exercise in chaos. The Springfi eld Park District is without an executive director or solid fi nances. You wouldn’t know it from turnout at this week’s election, when fewer than 20 percent of registered voters bothered to cast ballots.

Springfield groups push for immigration reform
More than 11 million people may be living in this country without immigration documents. Families are separated, people are deported and the government invests millions of dollars into patrolling borders and trying to regulate immigration.

Seeking a transformation
Now, at age 18, Todd says she feels more at home in her body as she transitions to female with the help of hormone therapy. After facing the unsure prospect of being openly transgender in a society that is largely unfamiliar with the concept, Todd is using her experiences so far as motivation to fight bullying and help others.

Marina V’s magical music tour
What separates the dreamers and schemers of the world from the believers and achievers? Some say hard work and some say circumstance, but most would think it’s a fair amount of both that make the dreams of a lifetime come true.

Violent Dead for true horror fans only
It becomes immediately apparent that this is a different animal than Raimi’s original, which was made on a shoestring and the change found in the director’s couch. Slick production values are obvious from the start as is a noholds-barred aesthetic. In the movie’s prologue we see a young woman burned to death by her father in some unnamed location.

Spring in betweens
This time of year it can be hot or cold – or anywhere in between. It’s amazing to look at our yard and think of our daughter Ashley’s wedding there last year. Everything was green and blooming, and there were wildflowers everywhere; guests were amazed at the lush stand of ferns we inherited from the previous owners.

Chicken with fresh sage and lemon couscous with pine nuts
Add the shrimp all at once, continuing to stir. Sauté the shrimp for a minute or two, until almost done. Add the vodka and hot pepper. If you have a gas stove, tip the pan gently so that it will flame up. For an electric stove, carefully touch the contents of the skillet with a lit match.

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

BAND SPOTLIGHT | James Armstrong
Some people play the blues and some people listen to the blues, but James Armstrong just is the blues. From starting his first band in seventh grade to traveling the country playing major festivals and shows, Armstrong made music his life’s work and coincidently, Springfield his home.

Drum Fest 2013
Back in 2010 for the debut of Drum Fest, I started out with a few typical drummer jokes such as “What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer.” And a beauty like this slammer, “How can you tell if there is a drummer at your door? The knocking speeds up or, worse yet, he never knows when to come in.

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

HISTORY | Memory traces
Springfield’s oldest home, Elijah Iles House, has a new exhibit about Camp Butler that includes artifacts from soldiers who were at the camp. A few of the items on display are photographs, uniforms, medical gear, cartes de visite, sword and gun display, and an original mourner’s badge from Lincoln’s funeral.

THEATER | Friends forever
Roxy Theatricals presents the Always ... Patsy Cline,.

BOOKS | Notable rhymester
Mary Jo Bang, poet and English professor at Washington University in St. Louis, will speak in Brookens Auditorium at the University of Illinois Springfield. Bang has authored six books of poems, including Elegy.

MUSIC | Vibrant virtuosos
Boundary breaking violinist Nicolas Kendall of Time for Three, ensemble-in-residence with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, plays with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, April 13 at Sangamon Auditorium, UIS. With theatrical lighting, the concert begins with the world premiere of “The Arc Inspired,” written by composer Steve Hackman.