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The blue badge of shame
The confab was somewhere north of Chicago, the paper where I worked was in Tacoma, somewhere south of Seattle, where a garbage company wanted to build a new landfill, as the existing one was nearly full. The paper wanted to know: Should the county allow a new dump or should we do something else?.

What happened to a journalist who did his job
They wanted him gone. According to Leathers, Akins offered a peculiar complaint about the story: that writing about one pastor who committed sex crimes was unfair because that “ignores many others who have done the same thing.”.

Making the numbers work
Last week’s budget address was well-written and respectful of its audience and effectively used Illinois history to make its points. Unlike some previous occupants of that office, Pritzker didn’t try to make himself look better at the General Assembly’s expense.

LETTERS
One of the more interesting proposals is the five cent per plastic bag tax presented by Governor Pritzker. Here’s the problem.

DISTURBING STATISTICS
During fiscal year 2018, there were 98 deaths of Illinois children who were at some point involved in the DCFS system, 13 of which were determined to be homicides.

Living on the edge
Animasaun, a first-time candidate who works as a pharmacist, said he’s lived in Springfield for 11 years and thinks it’s a great place to raise a family. He said he wants to be a “champion of the people,” improve roadways in his ward and thinks his ward would benefit from having a neighborhood school.

TREASURER ON THE MOVE?
Imagine, further, that you’re doing business in the downtown Myers Building and a place on West Monroe Street that both look, well, perhaps not on par with an offi ce that’s responsible for overseeing monies and investments held by the fifth largest state in the nation.

Healing from trauma
Dr. Audrey Tanksley delivered a keynote speech about the intersection of violence and health at a Feb. 20 forum held at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. Tanksley is the medical director of Heartland Alliance, an international organization that advocates for improved living conditions for the impoverished.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Eight years ago, Griffin zoomed from political unknown to a player in contests for seats on the Nashville Metro Council in Tennessee after two signs bearing his name were placed in a yard near an elementary school. Five incumbents were running.

Good cooks know how to zap it
The thought of microwave cooking apparently doesn’t jibe with the most peoples’ idea of delicious, healthful eating. When I took an informal poll of friends who do a lot of scratch cooking, most of them said they don’t regularly use their microwave, and when they do it's just to rewarm leftovers.

Family lacks knockout punch
The Knight family is a bunch of characters. The father, Ricky, has been a wrestling aficionado all of his life, so much so that he began training his children, Zak and Saraya, in the fine art of the grappling hold and pile driver at an early age.

Songs, BP and Mardi Gras
Not so fast, friends. We just can’t let go of February without mentioning this Thursday, the last day of the shortest month, when The Curve Inn presents their monthly Americana night as a singer/songwriter showcase.

LIVE MUSIC
Collective - Mardi Gras Party.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles
This Boston-based musician is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, mother, band leader and recording artist, releasing albums on a regular basis and playing the cool clubs in the Americana-circuit with verve and gusto.

THE CALENDAR
Jeanine Coupe Ryding Exhibition.

FAIRS | A three-day exposition for horse owners and horse lovers
The Illinois Horse Fair is the largest all-breed horse event in the state. It is full of educational opportunities with world and national champion trainers and exhibitors, and up and coming clinicians who cover a variety of topics.

MUSIC | An orchestra’s 60th anniversary year
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s greatest chamber orchestras, renowned for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest classical music. This performance is an opportunity to see them on their first U.S. tour of 2019 – the orchestra’s 60th anniversary year.