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Plowing legal ground
It began, Eyer recalls, when he got a call from a friend: I’ve got some concrete that’s just been poured but no concrete finisher available. Can you help? Eyer says he figured spreading concrete with a backhoe would be better than letting it sit, so he drove his seven-ton John Deere backhoe five miles to the jobsite.

A false crisis and a need for true border security
As a child psychiatrist, I often had to advise parents how to deal with bad behavior from children. If the child acted out and demanded something in return for stopping the bad behavior, I advised that the parent not give the child what they asked for.

Illinois Republicans running short on cash
Overall, Pritzker’s campaign committee has spent $173.1 million since its formation in March of 2017. Of that, Pritzker’s committee contributed $28.1 million to other candidates and spent $145 million on Pritzker’s campaign. Pritzker reported spending a grand total of $90 million on media buys.

LETTERS
HUMAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE In rebuttal to Jack Heller’s parroting of Rush Limbaugh’s theory of climate change, I refer to the NOAA website (climate. nasa.gov) and EPA website (www.epa.gov/ghgemissions).

WQNA off the air
On Jan. 24 he awoke only to discover that the station had fallen silent sometime during the night. Upon returning to the station that morning, Pemberton found his main and backup transmitters had both failed.

Township tug-of-war
Capital Township, the elected leaders agreed, is a relic, an archaic form of government born in the 19 th century and last reshaped by the state legislature in 1908. And it is best, the leaders agreed, that the township be eliminated. Disagreement lies over whether the county or the city should take charge.

Payback is hell
The tangle involving improper emails between Bruce and former colleagues in the Springfield-based U.S. attorney’s office resulted in Bruce being removed from hearing all criminal cases last August. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals is reportedly conducting an investigation into Bruce’s emails to employees in the U.

Cold and classical
The frigid trudge of determined music lovers from the sleet-covered parking lot to Sangamon Auditorium lent verisimilitude to this past Saturday’s “Nordic Nights” concert by the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Featuring works by major composers from Finland, Denmark and Norway, the evening’s program managed to be energetic, challenging and good fun.

PICKING UP THE PIECES
With the unpopular term of Gov. Bruce Rauner and divisive politics of President Donald Trump, coupled with a state that’s been losing population and a shifting demographic, Republican leaders are facing an uphill battle to maintain their place in Illinois politics.

Joy of Movement
Eve Fischberg, who lives in Loami, started the program in 2016 with one class a week. When more people showed an interest, she found space at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Springfield for classes now held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants can bring a care partner or friend as a dancing partner or come on their own.

Dough delights
Named for the little cabbages the baked puffs of dough resemble, pâte à choux is incredibly versatile. Five basic ingredients come together quickly to form a dough that transforms in the oven or fryer to light, crispy puffs or into rich unctuous dumplings when dropped into boiling water or broth.

Serenity goes its own way
I often complain that movie trailers give far too much away about the films they’re promoting, revealing key twists and surprises that not only undercut the work of the director in question but ruin the film-going experience for the audience.

February freeze out
Here it comes, and hopefully there it goes, as the Great Freeze Out of 2019 passes through this week, definitely affecting attendance at some of our live music shows. Just remember, there’s nothing like a cool music show to warm things up on all levels.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Captain Quirk
Formed in 2014 by a group of well-seasoned Peoria-area musicians, Captain Quirk (the moniker comes from a nickname for William Shatner, the actor who portrayed Captain Kirk in the original “Star Trek” TV show) plays all around central Illinois doing off-the-wall, cool covers and differently done classic rock standards.

LIVE MUSIC
Eva Hunter Reunion Show with Micah Walk and The Station Hands.

THE CALENDAR
prepaid online or cash only at the door. Mason City Limits Comedy Club, 114 E. Chestnut St., Mason City, 217-482-5233..

LECTURES | Do violent video games contribute to violence in society?
The UIS Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series Program continues with the discussion “Violent Video Games – The Myths, the Research and the Red Dead Redemption.” The speaker, Christopher Ferguson, holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Central Florida.

ART | Works by area students
Enjoy award-winning works submitted by central Illinois junior high and high school students and accepted by the 2019 Scholastic Awards of the Mid-Central Illinois Art Region. Winners from this annual competition go on to compete at the national level.