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Cops: Why we love ’em and hate ’em
We certainly have divergent opinions about police officers. Are they gallant knights or authoritative villains? I am involved in an organization that assists family members of victims of drunk driving crashes. We provide an ear for them in their grief and do everything we can to assure that the offender is brought to justice.

Two strong women I knew
Georgina Blair died last week at 92. When I visited in her home on the family farm in Virden a few years ago, she showed me this picture of her and her father with one of his prize mules, the Grand Champion at the 1939 Illinois State Fair.

friendquote poem #13
well had I known that poetry was simply composing a lot of text with a defective word processor I could have been a poet from the git go.

LETTERS
I’ve been hearing about noise pollution in Park Ridge and Des Plaines due to the new runway at O’Hare. Yes, noise pollution has serious health consequences, but I’m surprised that no one seems to talk about airport toxic emissions.

Pat Quinn has a tough act to follow
Before Rod Blagojevich came along, Pat Quinn was often ridiculed as a camera-hungry huckster with lots of ideas and little followthrough.

Setting borrowers free
Despite the bad reputation that payday loan stores have, Kevin Slot and the Rev. Charles Jackson aren’t looking to drive payday lenders out of business. Instead, their new organization, In God We Trust referral service, simply provides an alternative for “financially desperate” people.

Safety hazards at the Stratton
Nearly two years after the state was told to clean up asbestos and mold in the William G. Stratton building, the hazards remain.

Back to the FutureGen
Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Roland Burris, along with several other Midwestern lawmakers, took a critical step last week toward making the planned 275-megawatt coal-gasification plant, commonly referred to as FutureGen, a reality. In a letter to U.S.

Rising star
And next thing you know, Madigan segues neatly into the story of the year she spent in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa as a volunteer teacher at an all-girls school run by Dominican nuns.

Loads of Lincoln lore
Next week, Illinois’ favorite native son finally turns 200. After days, months, and even years of planning and preparing, Springfield residents will tip their hats to the 16th president in a weeklong celebration of his life and legacy. The party kicks off Feb.

How Henry Selick brings Coraline to life
Henry Selick (laughing): In the movie, Coraline is very angry when Wybie shows up to get that doll back and she’s chasing him, throwing her boots at him. I didn’t know what an insult that could be until the incident with President Bush having shoes thrown at him during his visit to Iraq.

Fairy tale conventions and primal fears propel Coraline
Coraline’s journey in this other world makes Alice’s trip to Wonderland seem like a walk in the park. Selick maintains the basic plot of the Neil Gaiman book this is based on, but puts his own spin on it by expanding the roles of many of the characters.

Movie times
Kerasotes listings are for Friday Feb 6 through Thursday Feb 12. All times are subject to change. Bracketed show times indicate Saturday and Sunday matinees. For updates on Kerasotes films, call 1-800-FANDANGO. Reviews of other films can be found at.

Smokin’ fried chicken
“As American as apple pie.” How often is that saying heard? The problem is, apple pie isn’t really all that American — or at least not exclusively American.

The Graduate looks for work
In these troubled economic times it’s hard not to notice the subtle irony in the tale of a young band called The Graduate, who are unemployed, without a record label and looking for work. But the indie-pop-rock quintet, based here in Springfield, isn’t standing in a line waiting for a bailout.

PUB CRAWL
For the Fallen Dreams, The Skies Revolt, The Chapless Corpse, Scavenger, Corcid.

THE CALENDAR
Donnie B's Comedy Show Feb 6-7, 7:30 and 9:15pm, Comedian Steve Hirst stand-up show. $13 general admission, $15 VIP. Donnie B's Funny Bone, 2937 West White Oaks Dr. For more info, call 391-JOKE..

PERFORMANCE
Twisting your knee to your elbow may be a feat for some, but for the National Acrobats of China it’s all in a day’s work. The National Acrobats of China was formed more than 50 years ago and since then they have become ambassadors for China.

THEATER
While the play made a cultural impact, it also holds a unique place in history. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while attending a performance of Our American Cousin.

EVENT
Expressions in the Dark is celebrating its sixth anniversary with a Denim and Diamonds party. The event features the hottest spoken word artists in Illinois. All are encouraged to dress in their best denim and bling to hear the sounds of smooth jazz and flowing prose.

PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE UNDER ASSUMED BUSI- NESS NAME ACT STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF SANGAMON TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that on the 13th of January 2009 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of...

Real Estate Foreclosures
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF SANGAMON - SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFI- CATEHOLDERS OF SOUND- VIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2006-OPT3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFI- CATES, SERIES 2006- OPT3,Plaintiff, vs.

THEADVICEGODDESS
I’m 23, my boyfriend’s 28, and we’ve been together for four years. When we met, I had low self-esteem and didn’t realize there was more to a relationship than straining for his approval. I’ve come a long way and have grown unhappy with our relationship.