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Someone tell Mike Madigan the war is over
The nasty and brutish Statehouse war is officially over for everyone but House Speaker Michael Madigan. The House Republicans made a big stink last week. It was totally expected. They were upset with House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie’s explanation for why she did not immediately inform the House impeachment committee that U.

A peace activist’s concern about Obama’s war
Finally, the change we’ve all been waiting for; the light at the end of the tunnel. Now we can sit back and relax, right? Well, at this moment, pundits vie for the cleverest visuals to mock the size of the economic stimulus package just signed into law.

Ending the culture of executive entitlement
I don’t mind losing when we lose, but I hate losing when we win. One big reason that Barack Obama now occupies the big chair in the Oval Office is that he embraced the public’s rising indignation at the blatant greed of Wall Street bankers, striking the proper populist tone in last year’s presidential election.

foodthugs poem #3
”Our Sweetie Pie Dance will be at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada at 813 Carson St. Contrary to our original invitation, we are NOT having a pie and ice cream social at the dance. The health department has told us we need a permit to have a potluck.

LETTERS
As Congress considers spending to stimulate the economic recovery, the arts and culture sector must be included. The arts are essential to the health and vitality of our communities.

Trash talk
Tom, before you read my response to your email, I want you to keep in mind that I am not a fan of the Democratic Party or especially of the Republican Party; I hold both in contempt for the sorry state of affairs that our country finds itself in. But since I received this e-mail, and since politics is my second favorite sport, I had to respond.

United Way changes where charity dollars go
For most worker bees, the annual on-the-job charity drive means a chance to make a painless payroll-deduction pledge to a worthy cause and then celebrate with a pizza party in the company cafeteria. Most workers don’t stop to read the fine print or fret about what happens to their donations.

The economic argument for legalization
Marijuana could help Illinois out of its budget mess. Advocates have long supported reforming current state and federal prohibitions against growing, trading and consuming marijuana. But existing evidence of the economic benefits of legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana is even more compelling, particularly in today’s trying times.

Search for Springfield roots
A different kind of Lincoln bicentennial celebration is being held in Springfield, starting March 7. It encourages everyone to search their family roots and see if they reach back to Springfield during Lincoln’s time, or even back to the Lincolns themselves.

A new musical spotlights those who knew Lincoln
When the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission asked Ken Bradbury to write a Lincoln play, Bradbury, who had already produced five Lincoln shows, wanted to try something different. “I had to do something new or nothing at all,” he says.

Cooking for man’s (or your) best friend
My house is a disaster zone these days. The floor is awash with litter. Bits of fuzz, small objects both hard and soft, torn paper and unidentifiable flotsam are everywhere. There’s a shredded toilet paper tube in one corner. At least that’s better than the one not long ago that still had paper on it.

Madea: A Jekyll and Hyde affair for Tyler Perry fans
Filmmaker Tyler Perry has a tried and true formula he uses in all of his films and it’s been successful enough for him to build his own movie mini-empire.

Movie times
Kerasotes listings are for Friday Feb 27 through Thursday Mar 5. Special matinees on Mar 2, St. Pulaski Day. 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.

A pair of songbirds
The second 2009 presentation of the WUISsponsored concert series, Bedrock 66 Live! could hardly be more opposite than the first. Sarah Borges rocked the Hoogland in January, with reports of delightfully raucous behavior demonstrated by the rowdy fans enjoying the rockinfluenced, pop sounds of the Boston-based singer-songwriter.

PUB CRAWL
subject to last-minute changes, so we suggest calling before attending the event..

BAND SPOTLIGHT
The Austin-based performer stays on the road most of time, playing his lyrically driven, acoustic guitar-based music at festivals, coffeehouses, theaters and homes, treating his audience as companions, living the lyrics he sings in one of his most beloved songs, “When I die, let them judge me by my company of friends.

THE CALENDAR
Community Connections Volunteer Opportunities Fair.

THEATER
Most of us dream of winning the lottery without thought to what challenges might come with big money. Kismet means fate or destiny. In this musical based on the Arabian Nights,.

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 5th day of February 2009 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of...

Real Estate Foreclosures
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 7TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT SANGAMON COUNTY - SPRING- FIELD, ILLINOIS Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.,PLAINTIFF Vs. Ellen Chase; et. al.

NEWSQUIRKS
A German teenager caught shoplifting in Verden found himself in even more trouble because the address he gave police turned out to be the home of one of the investigating officers. “It was a complete coincidence,” a police official told Reuters after the 18-year-old boy admitted lying.