Proposals to change the Illinois Constitution, I’ve noticed, are like UFO sightings: They tend to come in bunches. At the moment, the skies above Springfield are filled with strange apparitions.

Gov. Pat Quinn gave an upbeat State of the State address, but nobody is convinced. There have been too many cuts and bill-paying delays for anyone to believe the state is on the mend. It is good to see Sen. Andy Manar taking a leadership role in the search for new state revenue.

That sounds like advice that a love counselor might offer to couples, but not so. This relationship is not about romance – but money.

LAUGHTER BEST MEDICINE Thank you for your recent article on Mike Pittman’s eclectic life in Springfield in which his ventures have now led him to doing a One Mic Stand Comedy Show (“Funny Business,” Jan. 30).

“Career politicians are running our state into the ground, and Pat Quinn, he’s at the top of the heap,” Rauner says in one of his ads that have permeated the airwaves since last November. “Pat Quinn, a career politician who failed to deliver term limits,” a Rauner TV announcer declares in another spot.

Dowson Farms of Divernon, the government alleges, created a series of partnerships involving straw men that wrongly received government checks. The family on Dec. 20 agreed to pay more than $5.3 million to end the U.S. attorney’s probe. The government got the second of two payments a few days before the Jan.

Poe, who was first elected state representative in 1995, is one of the Springfield area’s longest-serving legislators currently active in the General Assembly. Perhaps that history is one reason Poe is entering the 2014 elections unopposed. Another reason, however, could be the already strong Republican support he holds within his district.

Quinn announced during his Jan. 29 State of the State address his new Birth to Five Initiative, which involves ensuring mothers are receiving prenatal care, expanding early education opportunities and increasing parent support services such as the state’s home visiting program.

Birds are at once well-known companions and elusive visitors. Many embark on enormous journeys, bringing with them the songs of spring and insights into the health of our surroundings. They belong to everyone and to no one, and it is no easy task knowing their numbers.

Hundreds of blooming orchids are on display at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show from Feb. 1 to March 23. The Prairie State Orchid Society showcases members’ prized specimens at Springfield’s Washington Park Botanical Garden Feb. 8 and 9.

Sure, you can go out on Valentine’s Day – millions do. And if you have kids at home and can send them to their grandparents or to a movie with a babysitter, it’s probably the best way to have a romantic evening.

What is surprising is how good the film is, that it isn’t content with simply throwing up a series of manic action sequences but succeeds in delivering a poignant message about how toys fuel our imagination and provide a spark that carries over into other aspects of our lives.

This is a great time of year to get yourself out and off to one of the many open mics playing at various venues in the area. If you’re not familiar with the notion, it’s easy and goes like this: you get to perform on stage on the “mic” because it is “open” to all comers.

If you are a Deadhead, that is a fan of all things Grateful Dead related, this is a show for you. With more than 50 Dead songs in the repertoire, along with a few additions from the Jerry Garcia Band, Sunshine Daydream does the music justice with passion and respect.

Red Light Compliance, Built In A Day, Negative 17, Full Chroma.

Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St, 217-523-2787..

Probably the most famous contemporary photographer in the U.S., Annie Leibovitz is known for her amazing images of celebrities. Recently, the New York-based Leibovitz has been shooting famous places and objects.

Most of the colleges have a slew of commemorative events. At the University of Illinois Springfield Brookens Auditorium, Wednesday, Feb. 9, hear a talk by Chigozie “Gozie” Umeadi, former UIS men’s basketball player and now basketball operations coordinator for National Basketball Association (NBA).

Elvis tribute artists from across the country will vie for $15,000 in cash and prizes at the Midwest Tribute to the King contest, Feb. 7-9, at the Hilton Springfield, downtown. All contestants are accompanied by the EAS Showband, the official band of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Graceland.