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Shaking up Springfield
“To those who have grown rich on the public dollar, to those who have won secret grants and contracts, to those in government who put themselves first and the taxpayers second – to you I bring my first message from the people of Illinois: the free ride is over.

Don’t dictate language
The Ukrainian conflict has highlighted the instability of nations in which languages and cultures compete for dominance. Despite fundamental differences, parallels have been drawn with the situation in the U.S., where Spanish is now being seen as a challenge to English in some areas.

A tax on high frequency traders
Have you heard about High Frequency Trading? HFT is sweeping, purely speculative financial transactions that have been made possible by huge leaps in technology. Done by super-fast computers, using mathematical algorithms, HFT searches millions of prices at lightning speeds and places bets automatically.

LETTERS
WOE IS MAIL Plaudits to Mr. Hightower! His article, (“Don’t close our post offices,” March 6), is an accurate and concise summation of the current postal system woes.

Gov. speaks after anti-violence program audit
“There was no money allocated at all before the election of 2010,” Gov. Pat Quinn told Chicago TV reporter Charles Thomas about allegations that the governor had spent millions in state anti-violence grants to boost his flagging election campaign.

PANHANDLERS WON’T GO AWAY
The most famous panhandlers in Springfield will have their day in court, but they’ll have to go to Chicago to do it.

LITIGATION BLUES
A federal judge has ruled that a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Springfi eld and several police offi cers fi led by Calvin Christian III may proceed. But in ruling against the city last week, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S.

Dems want 13th District seat in Congress
Callis also wants to find ways to help nonprofit groups receive incentives for work that improves communities, such as a veterans court she helped create, which serves military personnel accused of nonviolent crimes.

Two challenge rookie congressman
On March 18, Republican voters will get to choose between three primary contenders to represent Illinois’ 13th District for the U.S. House of Representatives. They are incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Erika Harold of Urbana and Michael Firsching of Moro, near Edwardsville.

Bruce Rauner’s nursing home problem
Rauner, a wealthy businessman from Winnetka, has downplayed allegations that his company offered substandard care in several nursing homes it operated, instead seeking to distance himself from the scandal in which at least three senior citizens died.

We back Jack
No other elective office in the county has the power of life or death, particularly in the jail. Inmates die when jails provide poor medical care, and lawsuits happen, with fiscal stakes running into the millions of dollars in a county that is self-insured.

A beacon for ex-cons
Now 57, Louden runs the Springfieldbased nonprofit Tower of Refuge with his wife, Bevey. Using his life experience and her administrative skills, the Loudens help prison inmates and recently released ex-convicts acclimate to the “normal” world that is foreign to many of them.

Transforming One Life at a Time, March 29
Tower of Refuge is hosting its annual fundraising banquet, “Pathway to Community Restoration – Transforming One Life at a Time,” 6:30 p.m. on March 29 at the Hilton Springfi eld, 700 E. Adams St. For more information, call Deirdre at 217-241-9911 ext. 226 or email.

Crossing boundaries
Vachel Lindsay undoubtedly wins the distinction of Springfield’s Most Famous Resident, Arts and Letters Category, but he wasn’t the only Springfield native to make it big on the art scene.

Grounded Speed outdistances Furious
The actor stars as Tobey Marshall, a grease monkey with a custom car shop of his own, left to him by his father, that’s on the verge of collapse. He loves what he does, as well as the crew he’s assembled, but the work that comes in, as well as whatever he can pick up winning illegal road races, simply doesn’t pay the bills.

Guinness goodness
If so, you won’t be alone. No other libation or comestible is as closely associated with Ireland as the delicious stout that originated in Dublin more than 250 years ago. It’s certainly more traditional than corned beef and cabbage, which is associated with American St.

Saint Pat’s party
I imagine for many celebrating during Saturday’s Saint Patrick’s Day Marching Band Parade and on through the weekend to Saint Patrick’s Day proper on Monday, March 17, much of the history that explains the meaning of the holiday is really not a priority.

PUB CRAWL
Chicks with Pics featuring Monica Morris, Josie Lowder.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Emerald Underground
From origins as one of the first groups in central Illinois to play Celtic music with a rock feel, The Emerald Underground has evolved for over a decade, continuing to be a steady and vibrant force in our area music scene. With alterations made in 2013, TEU approaches the “High Holy Days” of the St.

THE CALENDAR
Mar 19, 6-8pm Wed. Every third Wed. sign up to read some poetry, prose, nonfi ction. Listeners welcome. Food available for purchase. 217-725-9058. Robbie’s, 4 S. Old State Capitol Plaza, 217-528-1901..

MUSIC | Japanese drumming
This isn’t just drumming – this is an amazing combination of percussion instruments that look like beautiful sculptures, explosive and hypnotizing sounds of Taiko drumming and the perfectly in sync, choreographed movements of drummers with costumes and bodies that resemble fine art.

THEATER | Laughter and love
Locals Johnny Molson and Mary Young star in the Lanford Wilson Pulitzer Prize-winning play Talley’s Folly.

HOLDIAY | Curbside celebration
Springfield’s 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will “Rock the Blarney” through the streets of downtown Saturday at noon. Floats, bands and at host of local folks and organizations will once again wow and please the crowd.