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High-octane intervention
From the kitchen table where he was eating supper with his family, Jeff Hart saw the clouds change direction. They rolled east, then shifted suddenly west, like they had just decided to make a U-turn. Maybe we should go down to the basement, Jeff thought.

Take power into your own hands
City Water Light and Power’s new Dallman 4 coal-fired power plant is going online and testing of pollution levels will continue for several months. Although the power plant nears completion, important work remains to complete the clean energy agreement between CWLP and the Sierra Club.

You can always bank on the greed of Wall Street bankers
No doubt you’re going to feel terrible about this. Top executives of Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street powerhouse, are in a pout about how they’re being treated by you and me — i.e., the public. These execs are used to being revered as financial geniuses, but having taken a $10 billion bailout from us taxpayers last fall, they’re now widely viewed as .

letterpoem #4
dear aunt jackie by the way we loved your 2008 illinois times poem book I especially like ecopoem #6 my heart aches reading it as you know we lived near the dairy until I was 14 years old one of my most wonderful memories is of stephanie and my riding our bikes from our house on colley road to chez nous .

LETTERS
The Amtrak folks at the Illinois Department of Transportation are a big boost to Springfield tourism; last year 157,540 passengers used the Springfield Amtrak station, compared to 113,199 who used Capital Airport. Amtrak distributes a Bed and Breakfasts guide statewide, free of charge.

After the whistle blows, governor rethinks fundraising strategy
At the same time that Gov. Pat Quinn is pushing the General Assembly to pass major ethics reforms and solve a horribly complicated $12 billion budget deficit, his campaign committee has been calling top Statehouse groups to set up private meetings with the governor.

Group helps prostitutes recover; struggles for recovery itself
Positive Options, Referrals and Alternatives, a Springfield nonprofit that provides housing for survivors of prostitution, as well as food and free HIV testing at several sites around Springfield, has seen its share of financial and personnel struggles over the past six months.

Mixed-martial arts fighter opens Springfield gym
On April 15 he opened Robbins Mixed Martial Arts at the corner of Jefferson and Veterans Parkway. The new gym, which specializes in wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing and kickboxing, has attracted nearly 40 members. A few are amateur fighters, but Robbins says he doesn’t just run a fight school.

An end to homelessness?
Billie Aschmeller has no doubt in her mind about what happened to Tim Hawker. “He died from being homeless,” she says, adding: “You shouldn’t have to wait until you’re in a casket to have a permanent home.

The end of the Prairie House era
Back in the early 1970s, the owner of a downtown Springfield gallery hired metalsmith Joe Spoon to work as the “artist in residence.” The gallery owner provided a small, open studio in the center of the shop, and tended to usher any customer who asked about jewelry straight over to Spoon’s workbench.

Crossing Lines, the documentary
For Indira Somani, growing up in Springfield wasn’t always easy. Her parents moved to the capital city from Pittsburgh in 1974, and the next year, Somani became both a kindergartner and the first Indian student at Owen Marsh Elementary School.

When a media mogul bought a cow pasture that was New Salem
If it had not been for media mogul William Randolph Hearst, New Salem State Historic Site might still be a cow pasture. In 1906 Hearst was a wealthy New York congressman who owned several newspapers and had hopes of becoming president.

The new play at the Presidential Museum
Two actors. No set. Multiple characters, none of whom can be the killer or victim. Wrap it up in no more than 45 minutes. Audience? Everybody age 7 to 70 and beyond. Those were a few of the constraints placed on California playwright and theater educator Richard Hellesen when Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.

White meat vs. dark
“I’ll bet a dollar we get something this time besides [fried chicken] ribs and neck,” said Leon. “How do you suppose breast would taste?” [Later ….] “He gave me a big bite of breast. It was sort of dry and tasteless; I didn’t like it. “Why, I think neck or back beats that all to pieces!” I said in surprise.

Museum worth visiting a second time
Stiller seems initially disengaged, but once his character meets Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams), he comes to life much like the inani mate objects in the museum. He and Adams have a genuine spark and the actress continues to show that she’s not only one of the most talented actresses working today, but also the most charming.

No salvation from Terminator sequel
Christian Bale yells throughout as John Connor, the savior of the human race who’s charged with testing a device that might knock out Skynet, the system the machines have put into place to wipe out the human race.

Movie times
Kerasotes listings are for Friday, May 29 through Thursday, June 4. All times are subject to change. Bracketed times indicate Sat and Sun matinees. For updates on Kerasotes films, call 1-800-FANDAN- GO. For reviews of other films, visit www.illinoistimes.com.

Take a gamble on Hillbilly Casino
Hey there you cool cats, when was the last time an honest-to-goodness, classic looking, real sounding, nationally touring, rockabilly band rocked your world? Back in the heyday of local music organization Sangamon Valley Roots Revival, every time...

PUB CRAWL
Oakies Open Mic w/ guest bands- Mike Burnett

BAND SPOTLIGHT
From boisterous rockers to introspective ballads, Tina Thornhill writes terrific songs and her bandmates flesh out the tunes with adept musicianship and tight harmonies.

THE CALENDAR
Submit calendar listings at www.illinoistimes.com.

MUSIC
The Carillon Festival fills the late spring air with the sounds of 67 cast bronze bells in a mixture combining the ambiance of church, heaven and nature.

FAIR
Environmental games, free baby trees, recycling drop-off and free document shredding. These are just a few of the activities planned for the Earth Awareness Fair this Saturday at the convention center.

PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE UNDER ASSUMED BUSINESS NAME ACT STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF SANGAMON TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that on the 5th day of May, 2009 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of...

NEWSQUIRKS
Two car-theft suspects fleeing police on foot in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ran into an office building, ducked inside a women’s restroom, crouched on toilets in the stalls and tried to convince officers they were women by using falsetto voices.

Real Estate Foreclosures
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY — SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

THE ADVICE GODDESS
I’m 32, and deeply in love with this 24-yearold girl. I’ve never had trouble attracting women, but there was chemistry between us I didn’t know was possible. There was a complication: She’s engaged to and lives with a disabled man.