Before the interstate, U.S.36, a major east-west highway, ran right through town. It turned north at “the curve” by Cherry Grove from Wabash Avenue and traveled up MacArthur till it turned east at the corner of South Grand. It was still just two lanes of concrete until it got to Ash Street.

When I want to learn what a politician thinks, I read what she writes. When I need only to learn what a politician says he thinks, I listen to him speak. Here’s why. Republican governor wanna-be Kirk Dillard ventured an opinion to a radio reporter last week about what kind of people ought to inhabit the Executive Mansion in Springfield.

Lately, a mess of right-wing tea party groups have been wailing nonstop that they have been targeted, harassed and denied their civic rights by partisan, out-of-control, Obamanistic IRS thugs (no adjective too extreme when assailing Obama or the IRS).

I go through a fast food window line about twice a month. Sometimes I choose wisely (salad), and sometimes I calorie splurge and choose the high-fat offering. The point is I choose. I can also choose to skip the fast food restaurants altogether and pick a restaurant with better meals or fix a healthy meal at home.

Gov. Pat Quinn knew that African-American House members were reluctant to support the bill, mainly because of pressure from their churches.

The group held a gathering outside the Capitol June 10 to observe “Fatherless Day.” This day is recognized by fathers’ rights organizations throughout the country in an effort to raise awareness for the struggles fathers go through when trying to have a relationship with their children.

School’s out for summer, and that means kids from low-income households across the city may not get enough to eat. But thanks to federal aid, public schools around the nation can offer summer food programs to ensure kids stay nourished during the summer months.

If you’re the Springfield Coal Company, you get your permit renewed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, much to the chagrin of environmentalists and residents who live near the company’s strip mine five miles from the tiny town of Industry, about 70 miles northwest of the capital city, near Macomb.

No little girl tells her parents she wants to be a zoning analyst when she grows up. The job is figuring out whether a local government should allow proposed changes to a piece of property, which sounds about as exciting as being a tollbooth operator.

The most effective humor is mined from the generation gap that exists between Nick and Billy and these geeks who will inherit the Earth. They are completely adrift in a real-life Quidditch match, have no clue how Skype works and drive these kids mad with their non-sequiturs that reveal their techno-speak ignorance.

For me, summer cooking is about taking it easy – at least until I begin preserving some of the season’s bounty by canning, freezing, etc. Beautiful local produce, locally raised meats and seasonally available fish (think wild salmon) are at their best simply grilled or lightly sautéed to showcase their deliciousness.

The Gooniez, Albino Alliance, NxHale & LG, Co-Pilots, Uncanny, DJ Classy B.

Based out of the Indianapolis area, Bill Price discovered early on a fascination and respect for the songwriting of both Bob Dylan and the Beatles that led to a lifetime of chasing the song muse.

He was a nimble little man, scurrying up his fourteen-foot ladder like a squirrel, hauling boxes of nails, yanking sheets of plywood with a rope, laying roofi ng felt, and nailing down slate shingles (he disliked asphalt, which he considered fl imsy and insubstantial).

From centuries-old songs and tunes performed in traditional ways to the adaptation of instruments and melodies to the new land, Irish music certainly infused itself into the American consciousness throughout our history and seems even stronger today than ever before.

square, Middletown. Midsummer Arts Faire - Quincy, IL.

The 20th Annual Juneteenth Celebration takes to Comer Cox Park, June 15-16. New this year is a gospel fest on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. featuring local church and area gospel groups. A new splash fountain at the newly renovated playground will prove to be a welcome addition, too.

Directed by Stephan Kaplan, this musical follows Jean Valjean, an unfairly imprisoned man who upon release becomes a force for good but finds he cannot escape his past. Joshua Ratz plays Valjean. The Muni has been entertaining Springfield area audiences at its outdoor amphitheater for more than 50 years and has become a local summer tradition.

Learn about the past at the Grierson Days Celebration, June l4-l6, in Community Park, Jacksonville. The l8th annual Civil War reenactment features battles, camps, exhibits of veterans and World War I and II, and the Korean and Vietnam War, children’s learning stations, vendors and more.