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Bill Clinton picked for Lincoln prize? Really?
Prior recipients include former Polish President Lech Walesa, retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., and the late television journalist Tim Russert. Each of those selections was excellent and very appropriate based on the criteria for the award.

Editor’s note
Every spring it is only natural for IT to combine our home and garden issue with observance of Earth Day. A global policy of reliance on renewable fuels may seem beyond reach, but installing a solar collector on our own roof is not.

Ten years after
We fought, we were told, to avenge an act of terrorism against our nation that was made up, after a campaign whipped up by the U.S. media. In fact, the real powers in America wanted the war to protect their own economic interests in the region. An initial victory led to stalemate in a faraway place that left the U.

Where’s the cop on the Wall Street beat?
Goldman Sachs profited by marketing an investment package that was designed to fail, collecting fat fees on each sale to unsuspecting investors who lost millions, while the bank also collected millions more from a side bet it made that, sure enough, its package would be a loser.

LETTERS
CRACKS A NOBLE HEART Thanks for Jim Krohe’s fine tribute to Rich Shereikis (“The right combination of sensibilities”) in the April 11 issue.

Full-court press off, Jaffe fumbles
Many years ago, an activist named Pat Quinn came up with an idea to change the Illinois Constitution. He used the petition process to get rid of a third of Illinois House members in one fell swoop. This, Quinn said, would save money and make legislators more responsive to their constituents.

Trying to legalize medical marijuana, again
Lang proposed the bill four years ago and said since then he has added new provisions that will make legislators and law enforcement more comfortable with the idea. He said a year ago he had support from most of his peers but they would not vote for it.

Citizens’ Efficiency group questions state fire tax
That’s because an obscure state tax routes millions of dollars directly to fire departments around the state each year. The Citizens’ Efficiency Commission for Sangamon County issued recommendations last week to reform how fire departments in the county utilize the tax.

Not hog heaven
Tamatha Hausman, who lives in Mason County, alleges that the company ordered workers to repackage at least one truckload of meat that had been returned by a customer in November of 2011. The meat that workers began repackaging on Nov. 14 of that year had an expiration date of Oct.

The lion sleeps tonight, fitfully
A bill sponsored by Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, would ban the trafficking of lion meat as well as raising of lions for slaughter in Illinois. It is, apparently, the first of its kind in the nation. The bill has passed committee and is awaiting action by the full House.

Home and garden calendar
View more details and listings in our online calendar at www.illinoistimes.com.

Earth Day festivities
UIS Brookens Auditorium, One University Plaza, 217-206-8507..

Home sweet ‘green’ home
Koplo, 61, a computer consultant for small businesses, and Chinuge, a 64-yearold horticulturalist, now own the first green home in Springfield. The term “green” is used to describe principles that identify with the environment, health and a sustainable lifestyle.

Beat the heat with less air conditioning
It doesn’t seem possible, but 60 years ago people survived without air conditioning. Not only did they survive, but they may have even enjoyed life more, since they actually went outside in summertime and talked to their neighbors.

New and recommended flowers and vegetables
“There are plenty of ‘new’ things out there to try. For many gardeners, the problem is ‘so many neat things to grow and so little space.’ So how does one choose?” asked Greg Stack. “Well, one way is to look to All-America Selections (AAS) and the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) to help you out.

Grow spinach, tasty, cool and easy
“You are sure to enjoy the best-tasting salad with greens that you have grown,” promised Jennifer Fishburn. “Spring greens such as spinach and lettuce are easy to grow in a full-sun to part-shade garden location or in a container garden on a patio.” Cool spring and fall temperatures are ideal for growing leafy greens.

Rain barrels save dollars and make sense
“It was tough for some gardeners to decide which plants to water and which to let survive on their own,” said University of Illinois horticulture educator Candice Miller. “Unfortunately, if a gardener did decide that watering was absolutely essential, they likely saw an increased water bill the next month.

Another dry gardening season?
“For a lot of areas in Illinois, the usual fall rain did not materialize, and through mid-January snow was scarce,” said Richard Hentschel. In a more normal year, plants start the season by using the soil moisture available from the melted snow and spring rains.

42 is a fitting tribute to Jackie Robinson
Ostensibly covering 1947, the year in which Robinson broke the color barrier to become the first black player in major league baseball, the movie proves to be an efficient storytelling machine. Helgeland keeps things moving from one key event to the next, faithfully recreating some, condensing others and fabricating a few.

Wonderful world of Illinois watercolors
Carol owns Watts Copy Systems, headquartered at 2860 Stanton Ave. She and her late husband, Bowen E. “Skip” Watts, have supported the arts in central Illinois for years. So several years ago when Mary, of the Sangamon Watercolor Society, found herself with only 48 hours to find display space for an exhibit she was coordinating, Carol came to mind.

Land Connection Play
A play? Really? I’ve known about and admired The Land Connection – a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting farmland, training sustainable and organic farmers, and promoting a vibrant local food system – for years, especially its executive director, Terra Brockman.

PUB CRAWL
Songwriters Night, Greg Barnhill, Billy Dean.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Randy Charles and the Western Angels
This five-piece group are darn good purveyors of country, folk and bluegrass tunes, combining choice covers by the likes of Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks with a handy bunch of well-suited original music to create a complete package of a heavenly, classic Americana band.

Heil, high and hi-fi
Speaking of Master Faingold, he’ll be playing with his latest band, Epsom, Saturday, 7 p.m. at The Pharmacy, an art gallery and studios for area artists on South Grand and Pasfield. The original trio features Steven Sgro on guitar, Tim Harte on drums and Faingold on lyrics and vocals.

THE CALENDAR
hearing husband. $7. Illinois College Sibert Theatre, McGaw Fine Arts Center, Jacksonville, 245-3471. Comedian Chris Boom Boom Johnson.

ART | Transparent watercolors
The Skip Watts Memorial Exhibit and opening reception, April 20, from 2-4 p.m. at Watts Copy Systems, stands out as a milestone event for Springfield and the Sangamon Watercolor Society. Some of the best watercolor artists from throughout Illinois vied to have work in this exhibit.

MUSIC | Enchanting ensemble
Celtic Woman comes to Sangamon Auditorium, UIS on Sunday, April 21, for an afternoon show at 3 p.m. A sensational musical treat, the popular all-female adult contemporary singing group from Dublin, Ireland, will perform traditional Irish tunes, inspirational songs and pop classics.

ART | Celebrity soiree
Springfield Art Association’s Personalities Paint, April 20 from 6-9 p.m., is a fun party for a good cause. Art exhibit openings are always a blast, but at this one you can rub elbows with some of the most well-known local personalities and perhaps take home their work.

MUSIC | Six-string master
Springfield Classical Guitar Society concludes its 2012-2013 concert season with prize-winning and world-touring classical guitarist Zane Forshee. Forshee will perform music by Albeniz, Scarlatti, Bellinati, Asencio and Ronald Pearl.