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The making of a fan
Until this summer, when someone tuned in a baseball game on the tube, she left the room. “I hate baseball,” she insisted, a prejudice her baseball-loving friends ascribed to an ignorance that was as pitiable as it was stubborn.

In praise of pragmatism
It would not change the issues at hand. On the one side, you’d have the Republican majority in Congress, which for the most part believes that the health care system should be left to the private sector. On the other side would be Democrats who, to varying degrees, see an important role for government to play.

How magical is Donald Trump?
Here’s another fact: Those of us fighting for populist justice are stronger than we’ve been in decades. But how can that be, since Trump is in the White House? Because the vast majority of people agree with the ideals, issues and ideas of progressive populism, not with Trumpism.

LETTERS
VISION OF TRUMP Senator Dick Durbin at the Gorsuch confirmation hearing commented that White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said Gorsuch represents the type of judge that has the vision of Trump. Durbin then chided Mr. Gorsuch by asking, “Why would Mr.

Rauner almost catches Madigan’s ratings
You may have heard about a recent Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll which found that Gov. Bruce Rauner’s job disapproval ratings have almost doubled in the past two years, from 31 percent in March of 2015 to 58 percent this month.

HEALTHY FOOD TEAM
The Central Illinois Foodbank is teaming up with the SIU Center for Family Medicine to distribute healthy food for the Sangamon County community. At 5 p.m. Thursday, March 23, the Healthy Foods Distribution will take place at the SIU Center for Family Medicine, located at 520 N.

A push to enforce nursing home staffing laws
Mary was taken to the emergency room on two consecutive days after losing her equilibrium at the facility. Rabbe was told they could no longer have Mary because she was a “risk of a fall hazard,” and the facility was not one-on-one..

ARTS RESIDENCY IN ENOS PARK
[email protected].

Bill makes it easier to expunge juvenile records
The Fairness Act would automatically eradicate records of juvenile arrests in cases where there is no finding of delinquency. According to the bill, when applying for a job, applicants are not obligated to divulge their expunged juvenile record.

A playful play
“I had always had this dream to do a play about Abraham Lincoln’s wedding,” said Springfield Art Association curator of collections Erika Holst. “I have zero theater background, so I just couldn’t do it myself.

Museum comeback
The Illinois State Museum, founded in 1877, reopened its doors on July 2, 2016, after being closed for nine months due to budget cuts at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

What the pho?
Google released a report last year that analyzed what everyone’s cooking, buying and ordering. Google analyzed all the foodrelated search queries between January 2014 and January 2016. They listed the top five topics based on rapidly increasing interest.

Beast forgets that less can be more
To be sure, this is a dazzling physical piece of work, the production design topnotch throughout, whether in the rendering of the lived-in provincial town where Belle (a very good Emma Watson) resides or the magical living castle where the Beast...

Lady Carole turns 7
As I write this, I’m looking out the window into the beauteous out of doors, like a schoolkid or state worker begging the universe for something to happen that would legitimately allow responsibilities to fly out said window with me right behind. But alas, no such luck.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Fireside Relics
With the release of Shot Out the Saddle,.

PUB CRAWL
Michael Burnett and Jeff Kornfeld.

ART | Prints by William Crook Jr.
On Thursday, March 23, join local artist William Crook Jr. for a discussion of his print series titled “Portals into Springfield.” Since the 1970s, Bill has created art depicting life in Springfield and the surrounding area.

THE CALENDAR
Memorial’s Sharing Wishes Hospice Gala.

THEATER & COMEDY | Lots of laughs
Mason City Limits Comedy Club is honored to host former contributing writer on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and current writer and frequent guest of the “Bob and Tom Show,” Rob Haney March 24-25, at 8 p.m. on both nights.

CHILDREN’S CORNER | A “hoppy” holiday photo op
Kids can meet with and pose for a commemorative souvenir photo with the Easter bunny during White Oaks Malls’ Easter Bunny Photo Experience sponsored by The Gymboree Corporation and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. In addition to meeting the Easter bunny and posing for a photo, each child will receive a special Sing-themed.