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Off the rack
I took in two things during lunch the other day. One was bean soup. The other was Goethe’s observation that the nobleman “tells us everything through the person he presents, but . . . the burgher simply is, and when he tries to put on an appearance, the effect is ludicrous or in bad taste.

Social Security is critical primary issue for Illinoisans
More than 2.1 million Illinoisans receive Social Security benefits. How critical is Social Security to them? Nearly half of Illinoisans ages 65 and older rely on Social Security for half of their household income, while 22 percent rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income.

In favor of the financial transaction tax
The financial transaction tax is not an idea whose time has just now come; it simply has returned. From 1914 to 1966, our country taxed all sales and transfers of stock. The tax was doubled in the last year of Herbert Hoover’s presidency to help us recover from the Clutch Plague.

LETTERS
I voted for Rauner; mea culpa. Now I beg that Democrats cross over and vote in the Republican primary. Vote against Trump; Hillary is not likely to lose. Vote for McCann and against Rauner; Democrats rarely win the state seats in question. Government by and for the people is on its last legs here.

No end in sight
“How do they sleep at night?” It’s a question I’m asked a lot these days. The inquirers always wonder how Gov.

ORANGE THUMBS
Forget green thumbs; the Springfi eld YMCA has an orange thumb. That’s because the Y just won a $3,500 grant from international tool company Fiskars – known for its distinct orange-handled scissors – to support the Y’s community garden program. The grant is one of 30 given to community groups nationwide, out of more than 400 applications.

Sorority marks 40 years of service
“Each of you should look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others” (Philippians 2:4, English Standard Version). This could have been the root Bible verse that inspired some local women to join Delta Sigma Theta Sorority while in college.

MEDICAL MISSION IS 20
The International Health and Development Network, a Springfi eldbased nonprofi t, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Created in 1996 by Springfi eld physician Dr.

The battle for autism civil rights
“The book is a look back at how autism – the term, the concept and the people who have the diagnosis – have interacted with society and how that interaction has turned out to be an amazing story and lens on American life itself,” explains Donvan.

Building your best you
During the workshop, three other women accompanied Van, providing insight about hair products, proper tools and styling suggestions. One of the women was Julie Lundberg, a board member of Bless’It Beauty Salon. Lundberg joined Van and her team on the first day of the workshop and served as a motivational speaker for the event.

Senior cops remember how policing used to be
Since that time, technology has not only changed the gadgets police use to perform their jobs, but also has enhanced the level of communication and professionalism in law enforcement. The implementation of body cameras in police departments across the state is just a continuation of that effort.

Death by a thousand cuts
The list of organizations and programs being starved is long and sobering: homeless shelters, rape crisis centers, mental health clinics, student financial aid, after-school programs, disease prevention programs, autism services, breast and cervical...

A quick trip down Memory Lane
When I was in seventh grade, my friends and I got our parents to drop us at the local small-town movie theater on Saturday nights. We would buy tickets at an enclosed booth, shell out a quarter at the concession stand for popcorn and settle into seats as close to our crushes as we could get without being too obvious.

A dish to make the Irish smile
I thought I was very clever. At some point in my early 20s I figured out that I could dump a container of baby spinach into a batch of freshly steamed potatoes, add some yogurt and butter, mash the whole thing up, and voila! I had a fast, nutrient-dense side dish that doubled as a green veggie and starch.

Fey can’t save disjointed Foxtrot
Tired of producing stories for a New York news station, Barker (Fey) is ready for a change, though she certainly couldn’t have expected what was about to fall in her lap in 2003. What with nearly all of the veteran foreign correspondents covering the second Iraq War, her station is strapped for reporters to cover the conflict in Afghanistan.

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

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Emerald Underground
As witnessed above, this is definitely the busiest band in Celtic show business during the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Springfield. 2016 marks the 15th year in the existence of The Emerald Underground concept and experience.

St. Pat’s hoopla
No blarney here; we’re about to do the St. Patrick’s Day-thing this weekend in Springfield. Next Thursday, March 17 is the official date, but our Saint Patrick’s Day Marching Band Parade and celebration of the influence of the Celtic nations on America falls on the Saturday before, and that’s March 12 for 2016.

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

FILM | Living and working with Viv
Two years before her death in 2009, Vivian’s photos were discovered at an auction house on Chicago’s North Side by John Maloof. Today, Vivian Maier is recognized as one of the greatest street photographers of the 20 th century.

THEATER | The Lincoln nuptials
This weekend, see an original play based on the wedding of Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln. On Nov. 7, 1842, Springfield’s elite gathered at the home of Ninian and Elizabeth Edwards to witness Elizabeth’s younger sister, Mary, give her hand in marriage to a young lawyer by the name of Abraham Lincoln.

DANCE | Bringing the songs of George Gershwin to life
Paired with a live jazz combo and some of the area’s finest vocalists, the Springfield Ballet Company brings the magic of George Gershwin to life during four performances of Rhapsody in Gershwin. Featured pieces include “Someone to watch over me,” “Fascinating rhythm,” “An American in Paris” and more.