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Zone defense
Organizers with the City of Springfield and the Springfield Regional Planning Commission held what amounted to an informal design charette the other day. Citizens were invited to imagine a future Springfield as part of the process of devising a new 20-year land use plan for the capital.

Why Italy matters to you
The Italians vote their leader out and this affects all of us. Prime Minister Renzi in Italy recently resigned as promised after losing a plebiscite on whether or not to amend the Constitution so Italy could move forward. His proposal was designed to shore up faltering banks and to start economic growth.

Why in the world would Trump tap Perry to be energy secretary?
Who can forget Perry’s classic “oops” moment during his first failed run for the White House? Campaigning as a far-out, right-wing slasher of government services, he boldly declared in a televised debate that – by gollies – he would eliminate three...

LETTERS
UNFULFILLED PROMISES This is a response to Mark Erickson’s Dec. 15 letter (“Why Trump won”) and to give a different perspective. Trump won the Electoral College due to a growing dissatisfaction with corrupt politics that don’t work for everyone. However, he was a corporatist posing to be a populist.

Expect nastiness long before 2018
If Democratic billionaire J.B. Pritzker pulls the trigger and decides to run, we can expect that significant campaign spending could begin as early as next month – on both sides. And if last week is any indication, this is gonna be one nasty contest..

“The Studio Show” winds down from ambitious season
The nine-episode second season, which aired its finale Dec. 20, included guests such as Mayor Jim Langfelder (in an interview segment) and outgoing WUIS Statehouse bureau chief Amanda Vinicky (playing a character in a comedy sketch) and even this author (in a musical segment featuring the band Epsom and as the recurring character “Dr.

REASON 1,236,748 TO READ NEWSPAPERS
As we brace for the liar-in-chief-elect to take offi ce, Politico last week revealed that Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of WICS television in Springfi eld, struck a deal with the Trump campaign, while Hillary was still a player, that’s straight...

NUMBER ONE FOR STYLIST JOBS
If you do hair, Springfi eld is the place for you. That’s according to a survey entitled, “These are the 10 best cities for stylists,” published last week on zippia.com, a website self-described as “a platform that gives everybody the tools to fi nd the career that is right for them.

Demonstrators support Illinois electors, decry Trump
To nobody’s great surprise, all 20 of Illinois’ electoral votes were cast for Hillary Clinton when the state’s electors convened at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19. What may have been unexpected for some was the presence of anti- Donald Trump demonstrators in the lower level of the Capitol building that morning.

New Salem Christmas
I was born near where Lincoln walked and later grew up by the Lincoln Highway, hunted squirrels where he debated free silver with Stephen A. Douglas. I made my first trip to New Salem riding in the back seat of an Essex automobile, packed tight among other kids from Hickory School.

Four new holiday films
Conor (Lewis McDougall) has a great deal on his mind. Not only is his mother (Felicity Jones) sick and getting worse, but he’s also being bullied at school and may have to move in with his grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), a stern woman who keeps her emotions firmly in check.

The key to peaceful mornings
I’ve always been a morning person. As a child, this meant that I was left to my own devices on weekends until about 9:30, when the rest of the house would finally begin to stir. I grew up learning to cook at my mother’s elbow, but it was in these quiet early mornings that I discovered the joy of cooking.

Affleck and Williams are devastating in Manchester
Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is a quiet man who’s resigned from life, having gone into hiding after suffering a great tragedy. Working as a maintenance man and contrary to nearly everyone he meets, a phone call one day forces him to come out of exile and return to his hometown of Manchester by the Sea.

Christmas cutbacks
First off, let’s take some time to send congratulations and high-fives to Mary Jo Curry, whose James Armstrong-produced album hit seven weeks on the Roots Music Report Charts, a verifiable, radio-reporting national chart.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Attic Salt
Emerging from the remnants of several Springfield punk-pop-rock bands comes Andy Harmon, Alyssa Currie, Fred Malcom and Cory VanMeter to become a group self-described as, “pop, dusty, indie rock, power pop, punk” for starters. Doing the holiday walk at running speed, Attic Salt doubles the fun with two shows on Friday.

PUB CRAWL
Open Mic w/ Roger Wilco and the Starship Troopers.

COMEDY | Illinois’ funniest mayor
Jeremy Nunes is a 15-year comedy veteran best known for his clever observations, unique storytelling style, and ability to improvise with audience members.

THE CALENDAR
THEATER & COMEDY ‘Cheese-Murder in Paradise’ Murder Mystery Dinner.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS | A luminous stroll
You still have two chances to view the Henson Robinson Zoo decked out as a winter wonderland, as the zoo’s annual “Holiday Lights” event continues through Friday, Dec. 23, from 5-8 p.m. nightly.