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The birth of the plyscraper
Illinois corn growers have been getting fat because so many Americans drive to their convenience stores for sweet drinks in cars using ethanol-laced gasoline, both made cheap by trade barriers that keep out cheaper sugars and fuel ethanol.

Central Illinois needs clean and green jobs, too
Last June, EPA announced proposed rules to minimize carbon pollution in new power plants. This June, they will announce proposed rules for existing power plants, like the Dallman power plants at CWLP. In June 2015, after input from all stakeholders, the EPA will publish final rules, and each state will have one year to develop plans to comply.

NSA spying is here to stay
Embarrassed and irritated by Edward Snowden’s leaks, Obama charged last year at a press conference that Snowden was presenting a false picture of NSA by releasing parts of its work piecemeal: “Rather than have a trunk come out here and a leg come...

LETTERS
Take Back the Night protests rape and all forms of violence against women. This event empowers women and all people to reclaim their right to be part of the night and the human experience of nighttime. Take Back the Night will include survivor stories, poetry, a healing observance and T-shirts for students who arrive early.

Poll numbers on Madigan
Just 20 percent of likely voters had a favorable impression of the longtime House speaker. Years of negative publicity, the state’s many, many problems, the Republican Party’s decades-long accusations that he’s holding the state back and Madigan’s historically long tenure are all undoubtedly driving these horrible numbers.

A martyr or a menace?
In his thick African accent, Elugbadebo defends himself against a barrage of alleged zoning violations at the three “group homes” he operates on North Fifth Street in Springfield under the name Joyce’s Community Home for Adults. The homes house people with mental and physical disabilities.

Telling their stories
At 51, Guyer has been through a lot – the theft of all of his belongings, a few stints in prison, and even the death of his wife and unborn daughter. Most recently, he suffered a hernia that is visible through his clothes and which forced him to stop working.

Fixing school funding
Illinois has seen the price of food, gasoline, shelter and most basic necessities increase. Yet for four years the state hasn’t increased the amount it pays per child in public school. And the formula which determines how much state aid each school gets hasn’t been changed since 1997.

Visit New Harmony, historic and serene
That’s not to say there is nothing to do there. Modern visitors can delve into its history, wander a labyrinth or walking trail, hunt for antiques or artwork, let the children romp in the parks, rent a golf cart to explore and even hike, bike, fish or swim in an Olympic-size pool at nearby Harmonie State Park.

Crazy for cornbread
It’s more American than apple pie. The English brought apple pie to American shores. Native Americans taught the earliest European immigrants to parch, grind and mix corn with boiling water, and then bake it into thin cakes.

Lincoln museum is a showstopper
I worked part-time at the Lincoln Heritage Museum in Lincoln 10 years ago, back when it was called the Lincoln College Museum. In those days, the museum was quaint, almost anachronistic. Tucked away in a small room outside the college library, old-fashioned display cases held objects identified by typewritten labels.

Pace undercuts Heaven
“Pillar of the community” and “salt of the earth” are the kinds of things you’d use to describe Todd Burpo. He belongs to his town’s volunteer fire department, is a loving father and faithful husband and has no problem practicing what he preaches, which is a good thing.

April ending acts
Our venerable sound man Ric Major now turns the knobs on Thursdays and Fridays, blessing us with good tones to go along with the good tunes. This week it’s the Hard Road Blues Band on Thursday, with harmonica hero Bad Bill Robinson telling me he’s stoked and ready to blow with this hard driving, bluesrock band.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Rosie Flores
A frequent visitor to Springfield since her appearance at The Alley in the early days of the Sangamon Valley Roots Revival, Rosie Flores never makes it back soon enough. The “Rockabilly Filly” is making a quick trip this week up from Austin, Texas, through Tennessee, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Mich.

PUB CRAWL
Luke Turasky, Mike Burnett, Brooke Thomas.

THE CALENDAR
Hoogland production, in association with Springfi eld Municipal Opera. $16-$33. Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St., 217-523-2787..

ENVIRONMENT | Go with the green
Rain or shine, the 22nd annual Earth Fair will take place at Lincoln Park on Saturday, April 26. Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with the family. There will be environmental information, games, giveaways, a children’s tent of activities, refreshments, a reused art fair, music and more.

HISTORY | Monumental re-creation
Saturday evening, April 26, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign vocal artist and professor Ollie Watts Davis will re-create a historic performance at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

ENTERTAINMENT | Fierce fete
One of the most entertaining and fun times to be had this year will be at the Springfield Pride Drag Race on April 25 at its new location this year in the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Contestants are judged on lip-syncing, dancing and costumes with the top winners slated to perform at Springfield PrideFest on May 18.