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Rethinking guns in America
Handguns: 6,343 or 49.9 percent. Other firearms: 2,470 more (19 percent) Other: 1,637 (13 percent) (Baseball bats, tire irons, strangling items, etc.) Cutting instruments: 1,583 (12 percent) Hands, fists and feet: 678 (5 percent) In Illinois: handguns killed 84 percent of all murder victims that same year, the highest rate in the nation.

A cautionary tale
For those who don’t know the story, here’s what happened. Politically connected Springfieldians undertake to put more of the city’s long-hidden Lincoln legacy on display to new generations of visitors. They envision a new building that will invigorate tourism, restore downtown, and put Illinois on the tourism map.

Cannabis: America’s common sense crop
In 1914, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst mounted a yellow-journalism crusade to demonize the entire genus of cannabis plants.

LETTERS
BIRD COUNT RESULTS On Jan. 4, 2015, 25 observers endured cold, wind and snow from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. to complete Springfield’s 80th annual Christmas Bird Count. All birds that were seen and heard within a 7 ½-mile radius of the Old State Capitol were counted.

Illinoisans want Statehouse peace
A solid majority of Illinoisans want newly inaugurated Gov. Bruce Rauner to find common ground with the Democratic legislative majority rather than be confrontational, a new poll finds. However, most aren’t confident that the state’s leaders can avoid gridlock, and a majority believes the Democrats will be to blame.

Small-scale fracking
Illinois has yet to issue permits for highvolume hydraulic fracturing, but at least one well has been “fracked” since a new law began regulating the practice. However, one industry expert says low oil prices may slow new high-volume fracking activity..

FIRST BLACK FIREHOUSE
Springfi eld’s fi rst black fi rehouse opened in 1902, and the building still stands today. The fi rehouse, located at what is now 1310 E. Adams St., was home to the city’s black fi refi ghters, who weren’t allowed to work with white fi refi ghters at the time.

Seeking clemency in Springfield
Murray is one of two clients of the Illinois Innocence Project who appeared before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in Springfield last week, asking for clemency in his case. His plea agreement, called an Alford plea, may end up keeping him from receiving clemency for a murder he says he didn’t commit.

THE TRAIL IS OURS
Sangamon County is the proud owner of a new stretch of land, thanks to the Illinois General Assembly. Former Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill Jan. 9 transferring ownership of the Sangamon Valley Trail from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to Sangamon County for the princely sum of a single dollar.

Pull the plug?
Supporters of keeping the plants in operation say that it would be foolish to shut down the generators that aren’t broken. But, according to a report released last week by the Sierra Club, it’s time for the city to pull the plug on the plants built in 1968 and 1972 that have proven a drain on CWLP coffers.

Gold rush
Pennies is one of hundreds of veritable miniature casinos that have sprung up throughout Illinois, much to the chagrin of anti-gambling organizations such as Stop Predatory Gambling, which last fall did the math and found that statewide more than...

Imprisoned for poverty
He spent 18 years at Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois, but when his release date came in April 2012, Cordrey was instead sent back to prison. He hadn’t committed any new offense, however. His attorney says the only crime Cordrey committed this time around was being poor.

Women, lifting weights is all good
It’s important to allow 36 hours between workouts to give your muscles time to recover. Holler recommends drinking plenty of water and stretching to help your muscles heal. “A little soreness is good,” she said. It means you’ve worked that muscle to its fatigue point, which will allow it to grow and become stronger.

Is smoking e-cigarettes a good way to quit?
Quitting smoking and losing weight consistently top New Year’s resolutions lists. In an effort to stop smoking, a growing number of smokers are turning to electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, to help them quit once and for all. Although e-cigarettes are not currently regulated, the U.

Exercise is good medicine for cancer patients
Matt Jackson sets out chairs, turns on music and the small group gathered for the Monday morning Fitness for You class on the third floor of the Simmons Cancer Institute join him as he begins leading them through a stretching warmup. The mood is light and casual as participants move through the 45-minute workout.

Easy ways to start living healthier
Contrary to popular belief, adopting a healthy lifestyle is not a difficult undertaking. In certain instances, convenience may need to be sacrificed in favor of nutrition, but many people find that living healthy is not nearly as difficult as they assumed it would be when they initially decided to make a change.

Make morning workouts work
Many men and women struggle to find time to exercise. If hectic schedules dominated by professional and personal commitments have made it difficult to make exercise part of your daily routine, you might want to consider skipping the snooze button so you can work out in the early morning hours.

Sweet defeat
Numerous studies have shown that sugar affects the brain in ways similar to cocaine. It’s been tied to everything from obesity to heart disease to diabetes. And both sugar and artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite rather than satisfy it. Fortunately for me, I know I have a problem.

My New Year’s resolution: No more healthy, sort of
This column started out as a rant. For a while now, I’ve wanted to bang my head against a wall almost every time I hear the adjective “healthy.” So I decided my 2015 New Year’s resolution would be that I will no longer refer to specific foods and eating practices as healthy.

Paddington stuffed with charm
For fellow newcomers such as I, the first of Bond’s books appeared in 1958, recounting the adventures of a Peruvian bear who’s put on a transport to England after a tragedy occurs, only to end up at Paddington station from where he gets his name after being adopted by the Brown family.

Thawing time thoughts
First, we send our condolences and sympathy to the family, friends and fans of Pat Bowe. The guitarist, vocalist, producer, studio owner, songwriter, bandleader and all around music man was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident last weekend in Decatur.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Maurice John Vaughn
Once again the Illinois Central Blues Club delivers, sponsoring a show by one of Chicagoland’s most respected and versatile blues artists. Maurice John Vaughn started out playing the saxophone to join a band in the 70s. Not long after that, he moved to guitar to keep the gigs coming and added singing to extend his act as a three-pronged performer.

PUB CRAWL
Brainchild, Dan Hubbard, Pimpin Henry, Wanna.

CHILDREN’S CORNER | Presenting polite pirates
CHILDREN’S CORNER | Presenting polite pirates.

THE CALENDAR
Books & Authors Stacy Pratt McDermott Book Signing.

ENVIROMENT | Caring for chickens
Backyard chicken coops have steadily been gaining popularity in the U.S. during the past several years. Backyard chickens make innovative pets and function as an extremely local food source, offering the most fresh and delicious eggs direct from your own backyard.

HISTORY | Springfield speaks out on race
Current events have thrust race relations in America, specifically between African Americans and law enforcement, into the spotlight. During this roundtable discussion, five panelists plus a moderator will discuss the role(s) that race currently plays in our community and trace these roles back to the time of plantations and slavery.