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A rush to judgment?
The judge’s message came in response to an email from assistant U.S. attorney Elly Peirson, who had attached proposed jury instructions, a witness list and a list of exhibits. Peirson’s email was copied to defense counsel, but the judge’s response was not.

How LaHood and Davis voted on issues that matter to me
However, in an election year it is important to look at how those who represent us voted on those issues to decide if a change is needed or not. Rodney Davis represents Springfield in the U.S. House on the east side of Springfield and Darin LaHood on the west side.

Poverty is over!
But here we are in the thick of the 2018 congressional elections, and – shhhhh – silence. Not a single lawmaker who voted for this grand ideological promise is mentioning it, much less running ads touting their role in hammering the plan into law. Why so shy?.

LETTERS
FATCAT REPUBLICANS The headline said “Vice President Pence to visit Springfield for Davis fundraiser.” I thought, boy, it would be nice to hear the vice president talk! Upon reading, I was quickly disabused of the opportunity of attending. Panther Creek Country Club.

Why Rauner opposes a graduated income tax
Increasing taxes on everyone is a very difficult thing to do here. A two-percentage point tax hike only passed in 2011 because the state was in extremely dire fiscal straits. Before that, the tax rate wasn’t increased by more than a half a point since the income tax was created in 1969.

MAYHEM AT THE MUNI
An official announcement promises everything from “ballet zombies to Jack Skellington and the Addams family” will be present for the fundraising event. “You can spend the entire evening at The Muni taking in the shows, going through the maze and enjoying some time by the fire,” said Muni board of managers president Michelle McLaughlin.

TRIBUTE TRAIN
The Monticello Railway Museum, the Illinois State Military Museum and Monticello Main Street will team up to honor Monticello, Illinois’ fi rst casualty in World War I on Saturday, Oct. 20. Pvt. Roy W. Hamm was just 20 years old when he boarded a steamship for France in May 1918 – and he was killed Sept.

The secret life of secrets
PostSecret is the brand name encompassing an oddball media empire overseen by Warren, consisting of anonymous personal secrets shared by strangers from all over the world. It began as a mail-art project/ prank in 2005, with a blogspot site calling for postcards to be mailed in, each containing a secret.

Edwards family’s trash becomes treasure
If the backhoe had dug just one foot to the east, it might have missed the feature altogether. As it was, archaeologist Floyd Mansberger and the crew of Fever River Research got lucky the day they put an exploratory trench into the yard behind...

Echoes of yesteryear
Where are Elmer, Herman, Bert, Tom, and Charley All, all are sleeping on the hill One passed in a fever, One was burned in a mine, One was killed in a brawl, One died in a jail, One fell from a bridge, toiling for children and wife- All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.

Tahini’s benefits and uses
For a long time, an old jar of tahini has resided in a lonely corner in the back of the fridge. It was one of those ingredients that I had purchased for one purpose only – making homemade hummus, which I rarely made.

Intimate look at space race propels First Man
The movie opens in 1961 with a harrowing sequence that will be repeated again and again. Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is testing the experimental X-15 aircraft, pushing it to its limits in order to see where its flaws lie.

The ins and outs of music
The early- to mid-October weather can be lovely, though sometimes too crisp and sometimes a bit toasty. With a weekend forecast calling for a big-time cooling off, be prepared to enjoy the last of our outdoor music festivals while wearing winter wear..

PUB CRAWL
Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | The Mazed
Conceived in the fall of 2016, organized as a band in 2017 and releasing their first CD in 2018, The Mazed is on the move and playing all-original music all the time.

THE CALENDAR
Indian Knoll Farm and Pumpkin Patch, 2850 N.1000 E. Road, Mechanicsburg, 827-0317..

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS | A high-tech haunt
On Friday and Saturday evenings in October and the first Friday and Saturday nights of November, see why the Boo Crew Haunted House and Trail of Lost Souls are rated as one of the top five haunted house attractions in Illinois.

BULLETIN BOARD | Craft beer and Springfield history
Explore Springfield’s burgeoning craft beer scene during the Drinkin’ Lincoln Craft Beer Walk. These three-hour tours, hosted by Springfield Walks, are open to participants ages 21 and up and feature three stops in Springfield’s historic downtown Levy District.