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Closing a deal
Trust me, readers, I am no more eager to write another column about the closing of the Illinois State Museum than you are to read it.

From a grateful Springfield homeless man
I am 71 years old, a little disabled. In 01 two men threw me off the Dirksen overpass. Well that got me three metal plates and a little brain damage. But I made it. It was rough for awhile but, thanks to two good men who own a steakhouse, I got me a job. That job saved my life.

A flagrant liar for president?
Being the darling du jour, however, can be dicey – just ask Rick Perry and Scott Walker, two former darlings who are now out of the race, having turned into ugly ducklings by saying stupid things. But Fiorina is smart, sharp-witted and successful. We know this because she and her PR agents constantly tell us it’s so.

LETTERS
It is unfair to the people to close down our museum. This is not the governor’s museum; this is our museum. I will always remember my little brother laughing as we dug the fossils or played in the jeep or built the mammoth skeleton. I just want to say that I have grown up studying from that museum and learning about whatever I wanted to know.

An intensely political problem
Last year, gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner pledged to “crack down on waste” in government in order to save taxpayers over $140 million. He also vowed to cut $500 million from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services and find another $250 million in Medicaid savings.

Mining decision challenged as illegal
Catherine Edmiston is leader of a group of Hillsboro landowners called Citizens Against Longwall Mining (CALM), which challenged in 2004 the permit for the nearby Deer Run mine. Many members of CALM who challenged the mine’s permit were dismissed from the case, leaving Edmiston as the primary plaintiff.

Plenty of doctors, not enough health
Although Sangamon County is first among all 102 Illinois counties for its quality of clinical care, it ranks 79 th for overall health. That disconnect between health offerings and the community’s actual health illustrates the herculean task facing a coalition of healthminded groups in Springfield.

MEDICAL MISSION
Truckload after truckload of medical supplies stream from a 44,000-squarefoot warehouse north of Springfi eld, destined for communities in need around the globe. It’s Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, a nonprofi t which sends donated medical supplies wherever they’re needed.

WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING?
The first medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors this week in Marion, population 17,413. They even held a ribbon cutting, which was much attended by downstate local press and chamber of commerce types.

Lincoln museum finances reviewed
Chris Wills, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency that oversees the institution, confirmed that IHPA director Amy Martin is reviewing monies that the ALPLM receives from the gift shop, catering services and a Subway restaurant...

A civil rights icon comes to Springfield
“We are tired. We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked in jail over and over again. And then you holler, ‘Be patient.’ How long can we be patient? We want our freedom and we want it now.” – John Lewis speaking at the March on Washington, Aug.

Lincoln and voting rights
Also this week, the 2015 Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series digs a little further back in the historic struggle for civil rights with a presentation on Thursday, Oct. 15, on the subject of “Lincoln and Voting Rights.” The presentation coincides with the 50th anniversary of the U.

James A. Lewis, Civil rights worker
James A. Lewis is U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois and was a civil rights lawyer in Mississippi in the early part of his legal career. At Lincoln Library last week he spoke at length about his experiences.

New Glarus, America’s Little Switzerland
Do you ever daydream of hiking or biking through Europe but have just a weekend to spare? Then plan a trip to New Glarus, Wisconsin, known as “America’s Little Switzerland,” where you can enjoy scenic trails, indulge your taste for Swiss cheeses and chocolate, and stay at a Swiss-style hotel, bedand-breakfast or even a guest farm.

Spies: intriguing but incomplete
In 1957, attorney James Donovan was given the unenviable task of representing accused Russian spy Rudolf Abel when he was charged with conspiracy against the United States. It was a duty he took on reluctantly but completed with a sense of duty, not to his country, but to his client.

Drinking shrubs
Would you like to drink a shrub? I’m not talking about drinking bushes you might have in your yard, but a class of sweet/sour beverages that is centuries old. But shrubs are enjoying a renaissance these days in restaurants and other eating establishments in big cities and trendy locales.

CuisineScene
Noodles & Company 2575 West Wabash Ave, 217- 546-7400. Counter-serve chain offering international noodle & pasta dishes from mac ‘n’ cheese to pad Thai. L & D. OD. $$

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Steely James
Steely James (also known as Jim Stealy) sings songs by some of the great thinkers of our lyrical music, such as Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Neil Young, along with a slew of self-penned tunes from his CD, Free Speech Experiment..

PUB CRAWL
Dates, times and locations are subject to change, so we suggest calling before attending an event..

Mid-October music
By now the Cubs/Cards first-ever postseason series is over. Why mention that in a column about music? It’s for all the poor musician souls (myself included) that spent a couple of gigs last weekend trying to end songs the very second a key strikeout or hit happened.

THE CALENDAR
Dates, times and locations are subject to last-minute changes, so we suggest calling before attending events..

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS | Haunted history
Join the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on Sunday, Oct. 17 for an evening of Halloween games, stories and magic.

HEALTH | Support suicide prevention
Walk to end the stigma associated with mental health this Saturday during the Out of Darkness Community Walk for suicide prevention. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the nation’s leader in the fight against suicide.

THEATER & COMEDY | A tragic romance
The Springfield Theatre Centre is proud to present the “powerful pop opera” Miss Saigon.