At the corner of Someplace and Nowhere
Attentive readers might have noticed my recent preoccupation with the problem of place – how people come to define a place as a “place” and what it means to the people who live there. (See “The blossomy haw, remembered,” “A school by any other name,” “Official graffiti” and “Naming rights and wrongs.

Unsocial media
It keeps me connected to old and new friends both close at hand as well as halfway around the world. I like seeing pictures of the wonderful places to which people are traveling. But I am increasingly sick of the vitriol and anger that clutters my online experience.

Souring Chicago’s sweet treat
In Salinas, Mexico. For decades, the Marquette Park community has been proud that the delectable smell of “milk’s favorite cookie” wafts through their neighborhood. But the noses of Nabisco’s corporate brass are clogged with greed, incapable of sniffing out anything but ever-fatter profits for themselves and other rich shareholders.

LETTERS
ANOTHER INCONVENIENT TRUTH At the May 17 CWLP electricity generation public forum, Mayor Langfelder said the proposed Hunter/Lake II is more about economic development than the need for more water in a severe drought. He may have revealed an inconvenient truth to the Army Corps of Engineers and USEPA, who must grant the permits to build it.

A good idea, just don’t over-promise
That’s just silly. Reforming the process by taking away map-drawing duties from politicians and handing it to a non-partisan commission is definitely a good idea.

Jimenez and DelGiorno gear up for campaign
Incumbent Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, R-Springfield, is seeking election to her first full term as representative for the 99 th District covering part of Springfield. She faces fellow Springfield native Anthony DelGiorno, a Democrat, who says that Jimenez is not doing enough to truly represent her constituents.

A BATTY STANDOFF
Springfi eld police handled a bizarre standoff earlier this month when a man wielding a baseball bat allegedly began attacking his neighbors. Gregory Bosie of Springfi eld was arrested on June 15, following an hours-long standoff with police at his apartment on North Fifth Street.

NO FREE FAIR
Free admission to the state fair on its fi rst night has been a longstanding tradition in Springfi eld. No more. This year, the Department of Agriculture plans to charge $5 to enter the fairgrounds on the evening of Aug.

Fun while it lasted
The Ward 6 Revitalization and Rehabilitation Fund, launched in 2011, has helped pay for such things as a sign on South Sixth Street welcoming travelers to Springfield and improvement projects to private residences. The fund, unique among Springfield aldermen, has also given grants to neighborhood associations.

State orders fixes to Viper Mine waste plan
Viper Mine sits near Interstate 55 north of Springfield, between the towns of Williamsville and Elkhart. Some of the coal from the mine is burnt by Springfield City Water, Light and Power to make electricity, and the resulting ash is eventually sent to a site outside Elkhart for disposal.

Opioid Illinois
Due to a birth defect that caused Darren’s sternum to grow inwards, he went through a major chest reconstruction surgery at the age of 14. For seven months, he was prescribed opioids – addictive narcotic drugs like Percocet and Hydrocodone – to treat his pain.

Nose to the grindstone
Earlier this month I was searching out local ingredients to include on the menu for a fundraising dinner. I was surprised to learn that Hodgson Mill is located in Effingham, just 75 miles southeast of Springfield. This family-owned business has been milling grains and flours for five generations, and continues to grow and thrive in southern Illinois.

Yates’ Tarzan a rousing, moving success
Adhering to the spirit of the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novels while telling its tale through a post-modern lens, this gorgeously rendered adventure brilliantly combines elements of old-fashioned adventure movies with a modern technical aesthetic while...

July music is here
Happy upcoming Fourth of July! When America’s Independence Day lands on a Monday, many folks receive a generous gift of a three-day weekend and maybe more. Those of us in the music business find the holiday time an extra workday (and payday), and that’s A-OK.

PUB CRAWL
Open Mic with Roger Whitsell and Bob Jemison.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Dead Hands
These Chicago guys got a good start in the business by winning WGN’s Breakthrough Band competition in 2014 with their first single, “Grind Your Teeth.” After spending 2015 promoting and playing the latest release, Shiny Things,.

THE CALENDAR
Nichols Park, 319 Holken Brink Dr., Jacksonville..

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS | Fun for the Fourth
Usher in our nation’s birthday with two days of family fun hosted by the Springfield Jaycees during the annual Capital City Celebration. The festivities begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 2, with a CrossFit competition hosted by Rail Splitter CrossFit.

ART | Street art
Join the Springfield Art Association for the annual block party that encourages community members to literally paint the streets of downtown Springfield. For $30 per square, individuals and groups of up to six people will be able to paint a 6-foot-by-6-foot square of road on Washington Street between Fourth and Seventh streets.

CHILDREN’S CORNER | Books, animals, crafts
Visit the Henson Robinson Zoo for a Wild About Reading program geared towards children ages 2 and up with a love of books, animals and crafts. The pet-themed program requires preregistration, which can be done by calling the zoo at 585-1821.

FILM | A Fourth of July slasher
This Saturday, join B | Movie Studios for the premiere of one of the most anticipated horror movies of the past few years, You Are Not Alone..