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The blossomy haw, remembered
Paul Scott Mowrer was born in Bloomington in 1887 and lived there until he was in the sixth grade. In short, everything important that can happen to a boy in the normal course of growing up happened to him in mid-Illinois. While he never came back to live, pursuing instead a career as a prize-winning journalist and editor at the Chicago Daily News,.

Keeping cool
In the ’40s and ’50s most of us didn’t have that luxury. Air conditioning was rare. Attendance at movies was often higher in hot weather because theaters were some of the few places with air conditioning. There were banners on the marquees saying “It’s Cool Inside.

A new species of jumping beans
I find myself wide-eyed and astonished by the odd movements of a new species of Mexican jumping bean I’ve named corporados greedyados. Native to our land, they’ve long reaped the benefits of U.S.

LETTERS
THE MAGIC OF CITY PLANNING Paul O’Shea makes a convincing case for a city planner for the City of Springfield (“Springfield needs a city planner,” June 2).

Failing on his mandate
If there’s one constant since 1983, it’s Speaker Madigan’s jiu-jitsu moves against whoever happens to be governor. Sometimes he was wholly justified (particularly in the waning months of Rod Blagojevich’s administration), but he often appears to do this simply because he can.

HIDDEN HISTORY
The City of Springfi eld’s Offi ce of Public Works is currently resurfacing several streets in the city’s older core, and that process is revealing some hidden history. In some places, like Laurel Avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets, removing the worn out asphalt has exposed older brick that still lines the roadbed.

Habitat home needs funds
For three and a half years, Demara Albert’s name was on a list with 17 other candidates who wanted to become homeowners through Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County.

2016 DRUG SUMMIT
On June 2, a group of statewide public health professionals participated in a Rural Health Summit at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfi eld in an effort to decrease Illinois’ heroin and opioid death tally.

The driveway to Scheels
The city is working on plans to raise the speed limit on the road between Wabash Avenue and Interstate 72 from a maximum of 40 mph to 45 mph. There has been no shortage of speeding citations written since the stretch of road opened seven years ago. Since 2010, Springfield police have issued more than 1,340 speeding tickets on the thoroughfare.

Battling over workers’ comp
A recent report says the cost of workers’ compensation for employers decreased because of changes made in 2011, but business groups say they need further changes that irk both medical providers and attorneys representing injured workers.

Shredding Lincoln
The letter has long been famous – Lincoln, who’d written back asking Bedell whether a beard might not be labeled “a piece of silly affectation,” stopped at the girl’s hometown en route from Springfield to the nation’s capital. Now whiskered, the president-elect called the girl out of the crowd for a face-to-face visit that included a kiss.

Popstar takes no prisoners as it skewers modern pop
To be sure, Andy Samberg is an acquired taste. However, with his brilliant work on the cop show parody “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” he’s shown himself to be a comic with not just crackerjack timing and the willingness to look the fool but an uncommonly smart writer as well, able to make you laugh at and reconsider the world we live in.

Memorable meals
My most memorable dining experiences have ranged from the bizarre to the sublime. When I travel, I try to seek out and immerse myself in the local food and music culture. What makes a meal memorable might be the quality of the dish or the uniqueness of the surroundings.

Dumb, dumber, Dumb Fest
Kicking off this Friday, June 10, at 5 p.m., Dumb Fest is one of two annual music festivals hosted every summer by the scrappy, consistently ambitious, all-ages punk venue Black Sheep Café, located at the corner of 11 th St.

Music blooms in June
On Friday visit Acoustic Showcase 2 at Bar None featuring Kevin Wasmer, Kirk Donely, Nick Murphy, Tony Colantino and Alyssa Currie. This singer-songwriter event gives folks a chance to hear songs close-up, understand the words and see what these cool cats are up to, musically speaking.

Eclectic singer stands up against domestic abuse
Neville will perform with Frank Parker, a local and respected jazz trumpet player, on June 10 at the Inn at 835, located at 835 S. Second Street. Tickets for the event are priced $50 in advance and $60 at the door. All proceed go toward the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

PUB CRAWL
Kevin Wasmer, Kirk Donley, Nick Murphy, Tony Colantino, Alyssa Currie.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | John Byrne Band
Born in Dublin, Ireland, and now living in Philadelphia, Penn., John Byrne takes Celtic and American music of folk origins and keeps it alive by continuing musical traditions while making it all sound fresh through original songwriting and covers of the old songs.

MUSIC | Artist on the Plaza
This summer, spend your Tuesday and Thursday lunch hours outdoors enjoying the annual Artist on the Plaza free performance series at the Old State Capitol Plaza.

THE CALENDAR
Fairs & Festivals 55th Annual International Carillon Festival.

HISTORY | Party in the parlor
On Friday, June 10, History Comes Alive launches their weekly Parlor Pastimes with Mr. Lincoln program at Edwards Place. From 1-2 p.m. every Friday this summer, Mr.

BOOKS | First name Barbie, last name Doll
The Vachel Lindsay Association’s popular Poets in the Parlor series continues with a reading by Maureen Bocka, author of First name Barbie, last name Doll,.