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My life in newspapers ends Friday with my retirement. I normally say I started in newspapers 41 years ago, but it really began at the age of 2. That was → Read More
Ann and Andy Smith have a good love story to tell. It involves disco dancing, collecting for cancer research, coffee, two mourning doves and their late- → Read More
There are many crosses in and around Sacred Heart-Griffin High School. None, though, quite like the eight-foot replica of the cross Simon Cory used → Read More
Today we revisit a column from last fall. There is a good reason to do so.In October, I wrote about Joan Jones, her daughter Brenda Samonds and a Corvette. → Read More
After one false start, when transplant surgery had to be postponed due to a surgeon's illness, Corey Having has his new kidney, courtesy of a former → Read More
Frank Rumble's spirits were lifted Friday afternoon. And so was he.Frank is in the terminal stage of lymphoma and recently entered Memorial Medical → Read More
In June 2006, Dan Frachey put a $20 bill and a typed message inside a wine bottle. He took the bottle to the Rochester Road bridge that goes over the → Read More
What Hunter Gross does in Springfield is sort of like being a coach for the St. Louis Cardinals but never going near Busch Stadium.Hunter is one of the → Read More
I have been waiting for a reason to write about Les Blain's "Star Trek" room at his Springfield home. I found it. This year is the 50th → Read More
There has been a lot of interest focused on local restaurants lately. Some have closed, igniting a debate over supporting local vs. chain restaurants. → Read More
Todd Wallbaum of Ashland wants to buy a saxophone, but not just any saxophone. He wants to buy back the same one he sold to — someone — about 30 years ago.Good luck with that.When Todd was a student at Ashland High School he played a Conn Shooting Star tenor saxophone. He graduated in 1984 and, figuring he wouldn't be keeping up with his music, he sold the horn."My son sold the instrument to a… → Read More
Sarah Moore's post on our newspaper's Facebook page regarding Donald Trump's Monday appearance here gave me an idea."My salon is inside the Hilton ... → Read More
When Amanda Jones and Jake Bryant got married Saturday in Washington Park, the bride was late — in more ways than one.Amanda, Jake and their → Read More
If this is Dave Joens' midlife crisis, it is a socially acceptable one.Instead of buying himself a sports car and a new, hip wardrobe, Dave did something → Read More
Let me make things simpler for those of us in Illinois media. Since the state moans the same sad blues number year after year after year, I see no need → Read More
Bob Viehweg entered hospice a year ago. Most people who go into hospice care do not come out again. Not only did Bob come out but he was in Wrigley Field → Read More
It's a fun parlor game to compare our state fair with the fairs in surrounding states. While sort of an "apples/oranges" event, it's as close as we can come to judging how the Illinois State Fair measures up to our neighbors.Take attendance figures, for example. Ours were bleak when compared, say, to Iowa's. Iowa's fair, which ran concurrently with Illinois', drew about 1.1 million (and all-time… → Read More
Love and persistence are a powerful combination. And time has no effect on strong emotions.We go back to 1941. Two teenagers, Harold Simburger and Wilma → Read More
A few years ago, it was all so good. My column then was about how musical prodigy Ben Darneille of Rochester had been selected to solo on "Suite For Tuba" on the National Public Radio show "From The Top," which highlights classical musicians from ages 8 to 18.His sister, Emylee Darneille, had been senior class president at Rochester High School, National Honor Society member, Illinois State… → Read More
Adding a photograph of deceased loved ones to their grave marker was once popular. When we see those old photos today, they give us some indication of who → Read More