• Fri
    30
  • Sat
    31
  • Sun
    1
  • Mon
    2
  • Tue
    3
  • Wed
    4
  • Thu
    5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
In this week´s issue
Culture

Anatomy of an Advice Goddess

Illinois Times interviews columnist Amy Alkon on her career, methodology and the scourge of rude behavior

By Scott Faingold

Every week, Amy Alkon provides IT readers with her spin on romantic problems in her syndicated column The Advice Goddess. The column, which received the first place award for commentary last month fro

History

The makeup of yesteryear

Whale oil, raw beef and other 19th century beauty secrets

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

I recently learned a new reason why I’m glad I didn’t live in the 1800s — 19th century cosmetics.I became enlightened about this topic after attending an interesting 3˝-hour seminar

Food - Julianne Glatz

Can’t beat pasta to beat the heat

By Julianne Glatz

It’s too darn hot.I’d like to sup with my baby tonight,Refill the cup with my baby tonight.But I ain’t up to my baby tonight,’Cause it’s too darn hot.From It’s Too

Film - Chuck Koplinski

Sorcerer casts an enchanting spell

By Chuck Koplinski

Sometimes, having low expectations is a good thing. Knowing that the brain trust behind the National Treasure movies, actor Nicolas Cage and director Jon Turteltaub, were collaborating to turn The Sor

Film - Chuck Koplinski

Salt needs seasoning

By Chuck Koplinski

Originally tailored for Tom Cruise, Phillip Noyce’s Salt is a Cold War thriller combined with Hitchcock’s wrong man premise fashioned as a piece of pulp fiction. Think The Manchurian Candi

Music - Tom Irwin

End of July jewels

By Tom Irwin

Here we are nearing the end of July 2010 with a good forecast for upcoming live music. As August begins we head into the Decatur Celebration and then the Illinois State Fair as major music fronts, wit

News

Boarded properties flying under city’s radar

Expired permits for vacant houses leave blight unchecked

By Patrick Yeagle

The walnut saplings growing from the foundation of the house at 920 S. 11th St. in Springfield have grown so large, they obscure most of the house. Whitewashed plywood covers the door and windows of t

News

Historic stagecoach stop to be burned down

By Jackson Adams

An old white building stands in Buffalo, about 15 miles east of Springfield, as a sign of a different time. Its stately porch and a smokehouse behind it give credence to its place as a relic of histor

Illinois - James Krohe Jr

It’s not the heat but the stupidity

Our summer cooling technologies remain unevolved

By James Krohe Jr.

“Springfield,” wrote the St. Louis Republican 120 years ago, “offers a pleasant retreat during the hot summer months to those living in the cities of the South.” This is perhap

News

A neighborhood’s call to arms

Enos Park works with planners on improvement strategy

By Rachel Wells

Full of hope and energized by the progress they’ve made so far, Enos Park residents faced discouraging news last week as planners quantified the neighborhood’s current plight: The number o

National - Jim Hightower

Grinning bankers

By Jim Hightower

Like ugly on a toad, banker greed just can’t be rinsed off, no matter how much regulatory soap you use.  Last week, Congress enacted new rules to govern America’s huge banks, thus com

Guest Opinion

Fighting myths about the undocumented

By Diane Lopez Hughes

While vacationing in Flagstaff earlier this month, I was heartened to discover that if the new, repressive immigration law takes effect in Arizona today, that fair city won’t be snooping at shoe

IT HOT PICKS OF THE WEEK
Rapid fire facts
By Anita Stienstra
Local roots
By Anita Stienstra
Neighborhood cuisine
By Anita Stienstra
Rock opera
By Anita Stienstra
Country rockin’
By Anita Stienstra
Politics - Rich Miller

Who pays for Quinn’s campaign-by-governing?

By Rich Miller

I was looking through Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign finance reports the other day and saw that he went way out of his way to list even the tiniest in-kind contributions.“In-kind” donatio