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What can a closed library do? Lots.
As many of you know, the doors to Lincoln Library have been closed since March 16. We hope that you also know that while our doors are closed, we’re still here for you.

I’m tired of this game
This was back when Christmas music was playing on St. Louis radio and Hallmark was streaming holiday movies across the nation: Bedford Falls is a big tent, and we’ll get through this together. After five days of thawing and nearly as much time on a Weber kettle, my turkey was ready, and it was spectacular.

COVID-19 poll doesn’t bode well for Republicans
Meanwhile, the state is split on President Donald Trump’s handling of the pandemic. While 48% support his handling of the nation’s response, 49% disaprove. Three percent didn’t know. The poll’s margin of error was +/-3.46 percent. Forty percent of respondents were reached on their mobile phones.

LETTERS
The first page of the preface includes a fact of local interest, but was not mentioned in the review: the author grew up here in Springfield (“my worldview [was] formed by Dominican nuns at the Little Flower School”). Unfortunately, Mr. Metz was not contacted for comment.

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS
A man with a lengthy criminal record has sued the Village of Riverton and two cops who resigned after video surfaced in February that captured former officer Grant Peterson headbutting a DUI suspect at the police station while former officer Tricia Summerson, who was in the same room, did nothing.

City council approves ShotSpotter
ShotSpotter, which has contracts with about 100 cities across the nation to detect gunfire, lowered the three-year cost by nearly $200,000 after aldermen last week raised concerns about costs amid a pandemic that threatens to crater city finances. Ward 1 Ald.

TESTING, TESTING
At least 11 residents of a Sherman nursing home have died after an outbreak of the new coronavirus there infected dozens of residents and staff. On April 28, Sangamon County announced its highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a day, 41. Two locations in Springfield offer tests at no cost and without a necessary appointment.

Saving historic trees on Route 97
Though Illinois Route 97 existed as a road for more than 175 years, it was officially designated a state highway in 1937. The 104.43-mile asphalt ribbon extends from exit 98 off of U.S.

The essentials
In April, we began to ask readers to share stories about the workers they love who are on the front lines, fighting this pandemic. When we get to the other side of this thing, there won’t be a single life unaffected. Some have lost their lives. Some have lost their livelihoods.

Will trade minestrone for a place to park
A few years ago I was at my campsite at Summer Camp Music Festival when a young man approached me carrying an empty grocery bag and asked if I had any charcoal I could spare. I had plenty so I put some in his bag. He thanked me and then asked if he could possibly use my grill.

Turow’s new court novel puts him back on top
Every reader has a guilty pleasure. For me it has always been courtroom fiction. Granted, this led me to frustration because I would read many courtroom novels only to become irritated over the author’s inaccuracies compared to the real-life courtrooms where I worked.

Duke’s Arkansas only half a movie
Divided into five different chapters, parts one and three focus on Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and Swin (Duke), two bottomfeeders in an Arkansas drug network. Their job is to distribute product and nothing else, that is, until they’re given a job to transport a shipment across state lines.

Play May music
As we wander into the first full week of May 2020, the world we live in is still quite topsy-turvy from only one year ago, or any time in the past, for that matter.

NATURE | Get out and enjoy Illinois’ natural resources
When you are ready to head out of doors as the spring weather slowly warms into summer, some state parks in central Illinois will be waiting for you, including Sangchris Lake State Park. Operated under the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the park is about 15 miles southeast of Springfield.

THE CALENDAR
Send us your events! Deadline: 5pm Fri. Submit online at: www.illinoistimes.com.