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Springfield, IL Real Estate News

By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Capital Area Association of REALTORS® The Voice for Real EstateTM in the Capital Area   SPRINGFIELD (September 23, 2009). The median single-family home sale price decreased while unit sales increased in the Capital Area during August 2009, according to the Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) Multiple Information Service.    Home sales in the Capital Area during the month of August amounted to 370 units, reflecting an increase of 6.9 percent over August of 2008.  Year-to-date home sales through August of 2009 revealed 2,405 unit sales, down 4.5 percent from year-to-date through August of 2008.             For the month of August 2009, the median home sale price (for all single-family homes and condominiums) was $110,000, reflecting a decrease of 2.1 percent from the $112,300 Aug...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
................ Ass       The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it  won.      The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it  in the race again and it won again.     The local newspaper read:     "PASTOR'S ASS OUT  FRONT"     The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another> race.     The next day, the local paper's headline read:     "BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S  ASS"     This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey.     The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby  convent.     The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following Headline the next day:    "NUN HAS BEST ASS IN  TOWN"     The Bishop fainted.     He informed the nun that she would have to...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 An elderly gent was invited to an old friend's home for dinner one evening.He was impressed by the way his buddy preceded every request to his wifewith endearing terms such as: Darling, Honey, My Love, Pumpkin, Sweetheart,etc. The couple had been married almost 70 years and, clearly, they werestill very much in love.While the wife was in the kitchen, the man leaned over to his host, andsaid, "I think it's wonderful that, after all these years, you still callyour wife those loving pet names."The old man hung his head. "I have to tell you the truth," he said. "Hername slipped my mind about 10 years a go, -- and I'm scared to death to askthe old bitch what it is."-- Thomas E. Connell
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      As The Station, a Springfield-based national touring funk/rock/jam band, celebrates 10 years of being together as a functioning unit in 2009, the nucleus of Dave Littrell (vocals, guitar, sax) and Dave Carter (drums, percussion) with Kevin Lemen (guitar) announces the addition of Springfield bassist, Jeff Cunningham, to the lineup. The Chatham native who plucks the 4, 5 and 6-string basses as well as a fretless and a standup acoustic, played with Dave and Dave in Three Amigos a few years back and also worked with LowPhat, Soul Pudding, Senses, Los Injectors and other bands in recent years. His amazing improvisational skills and awe-inspiring musicianship should coalesce well into the free form flying of The Station as the group continues to tour and begins production of a fifth or...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
By Amanda Robert Most people have no idea that the capital city has its very own rugby team."The Celts used to be bigger in Springfield, and then we had a waning period and the interest came down," says Brian Foreman, a member of the Springfield Celts since 1998. "People still say, ‘Springfield has a rugby team?' "Yeah, they've been around since 1975."The Springfield Celts rugby club, a nonprofit organization with roughly 25 members, plays every spring and fall at Kennedy Park across from the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. Most players like Foreman, a 35-year-old chemist for the Illinois Department of Transportation, played high school and college football. So far this season they've competed in three matches - against the St. Louis Royals, Southern Illinois University and Illinois St...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Tax would be passed on to consumers, but policy expert say that's the point By Patrick Yeagle Lynn Puls styles customer Linda Richardson  hair at Hair Shanty on Second Street. Puls, who owns Hair Shanty, would be taxed five percent for cutting hair under a proposed service tax in the Illinois legislature.  It has been called "a headache," "double taxation," and "another way for government to get their hands in consumers' pockets."The idea of taxing services - something Illinois has historically been hesitant to do - has gained more attention this year with reports that the state is facing a deficit of anywhere from $8.95 to $12.26 billion, depending on whom you ask.As Illinois faces the record budget deficit, the General Assembly continues to mull a bill to tax services - 39 of them, in...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Order in the court By Amanda Robert   Darlene and Tom Noreuil moved into Woodland Acres Mobile Home Park, 3500 N. Dirksen Pkwy., in 2004. The couple joined other residents in attempting to form a neighborhood watch association to cut down on area crime. PHOTOˆBYˆAMANDAˆROBERT--> When Thomas and Darlene Noreuil moved into Woodland Acres Mobile Home Park, at 3500 N. Dirksen Pkwy., in May 2004 they had recently retired from their jobs with the Illinois Secretary of State and Horace Mann and hoped to settle into a slower-paced lifestyle."We were looking for a place to live as senior citizens," Thomas Noreuil says, "where there is control in the operation."The 70-year-old couple picked the court's newer north end - mostly inhabited by retirees - and were happy to see that park rules discoura...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
George Carlin on aging! (Absolutely Brilliant)IF YOU DON'T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT ON. George Carlin's Views on Aging Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. 'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key. You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. 'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life ! You become 21.. Even the words sound ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Passes and tickets at Hoogland Center for the Arts, 217/523-2787 www.scfta.org WED, SEPT 16Taste of the Festival7-9pmFREE Open to the publicCapital City Bar and Grill3149 S. Dirksen PkwyFor those not familiar with film fests, this evening event will include a preview of 5-6 of the festival's shortest entries, movie trivia with IT's movie critic Chuck Koplinksi. FRI, SEPT 18Pre-festival Party w/ filmmakers6pm - Midnight(Full Weekend Passholders Only) Skatin' 66 Tyrone Dixon, Hollywood, CAMusician Robbie Love skates Route 66 to promote his music and raise money for charity. 65 m.Golden Blade III: Return of the Monkey's Uncle TJ Wiedow, Asheville, NCKung Fu spoof with intentional bad dubs and misspelled subtitles. 91 m. The Crimson MaskElias Plagianos, Brooklyn, NYBusinessman and has-been ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
  All About Toilets Lighting Sinks Kid Projects Fixtures and Appliances Product Ideas Tonusa Bathroom Vanity Set - MASSIMO Pottery Barn Kids Gold Fish Hanging Decor Workroom Project Table Camp Dresser and Nightstand Pottery Barn Kids Rattan Chandelier More Product Ideas 1 of 5 By Alicia Garceau Potty-training. It's the first step in a toddler's burgeoning independence. "I can do it myself" becomes a favorite phrase with the pre-school set, and with a few simple tweaks done by a professional or do-it-yourselfer with plumbing and wiring knowledge, a bathroom can become accessible to the littlest users. David and Deborah Heffner's oldest daughter, Caitlin, reached the significant milestone of potty-training and mastered the accompanying skill of hand washing as a two-year-old, but because ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
    Chatham-Glenwood graduates Jake Giganti, left, and Matt Hartzler produced a Pepsi Rock Band music video that won an MTV award Sunday night. sj-r.com file By RHYS SAUNDERS (rhys.saunders@sj-r.com) THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER  Ten recent Chatham Glenwood High School graduates walked down the red carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony Sunday to claim their Moonman trophy after winning the Pepsi Rock Band Music Video Contest. The video, "Nerds in Disguise," is set to the song "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit. It shows a house party that gets out of control as guests slam back Pepsi products. The video's actors - except for co-producer Matt Hartzler, who portrays a pizza deliveryman -play dual roles of math nerds and hardcore rockers. Hartzler was interviewed via text message from the c...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
Only in America ...... drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front. Only in America .....people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke. Only in America .....banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters. Only in America.....we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage. Only in America.......we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight. Only in America .....they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering. EVER WONDER ...Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkensOur skin? Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed? Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 BY JENNIFER FISHBURN   Prior to European settlers in Illinois, 60 percent of the 22 million acres was prairie. Today less than one hundredth of one percent of the original undisturbed prairie exists in the Prairie State. Some of these original prairies can still be found in pioneer cemeteries, fencerows and railroad rights-of-way. Prairie plants native to Illinois are good choices for inclusion in the landscape because they are adapted to the soils and environmental conditions. In addition, prairie establishments provide habitat for wildlife and, once established, require minimal care. While there are many noteworthy prairie plants, one of my favorites is prairie dropseed. Not only is it a beautiful plant, but it is one of the few plants with an unforgettable aroma. It has a distinct s...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 BY JULIANNE GLATZ    Add to favorites ALSO IN REAL CUISINE Polenta No time to cook? I hear you. Double the pleasure, double the hope More (182)...ALSO IN FOOD & DRINK Come fry with me Grape-leaf group therapy Get more from your mash More (224)... One of the easiest ways to have no-fuss midweek meals is making extras for the freezer, something that works especially well with soups and stews that can handle microwave nuking. Here's a favorite - a sort of cross between Italian Chicken Cacciatore and French Coq au Vin. The tomatoes and balsamic vinegar give it a brighter livelier taste than most Coq au Vins, while the bacon, mushrooms and wine contribute depth that's often lacking in Chicken Cacciatore versions that are little more than chicken in tomato sauce. This recipe serves 2-4 peopl...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 BY CHUCK KOPLINSKI   Matt Damon in The Informant, to be released nationally this week, tells the story of a whistleblower exposing corruption at Archer Daniels Midland company in Decatur. Much of the film was shot on location in central Illinois. When the folks from Hollywood come calling and want to get cameras rolling in the state, their first stop is the Springfield and Central Illinois Film Commission. Started in 2006, the committee has a dual purpose - to help promote film production in central Illinois and bring in outside productions to be shot in the area. Sporting an online directory of actors and crew who live in the area at their Web site (www.centralillinoisfilm.com ), the commission is an invaluable resource in recruiting local talent to work on films being shot in Illinoi...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
The capital city's own Route 66 International Film Festival is next weekend at Hoogland Center for the Arts BY CHUCK KOPLINSKI   Named one of the 25 festivals worth the fee in 2008 by Moviemaker Magazine, the eighth annual Route 66 International Film Festival gathering will surely be cited for that same honor again this year. The roster of films on tap this year is one of the most eclectic put together yet and features some of the strongest filmmaking to be screened at the festival to date. From innovative animated features, experimental shorts, feature-length dramas and moving documentaries, the fest truly has something for all tastes and more than its share of welcome surprises. How much has the Route 66 International Film Festival grown since its inception eight years ago? Consider ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
CAAR preliminary home sale statistics for Aug of ‘09 reveal a 6.9% increase in residential transactions with 370 sold and closed as compared to 346 in ‘08. The average sale price of an existing single family home in Aug of ‘09 was $126,700 reflecting a 0.6% increase over the Aug ‘08 price of $125,900. The median sale price in Aug ‘09 of $110,000 reflects a decrease of 2.0% from the $112,300 median sale price in Aug ‘08. Sale pendings in Aug ‘09 were 399, reflecting a 3.4 increase over the 386 sale pendings in Aug ‘08. Listings were down 24.1% with 494 new listings in Aug ‘09 as compared to 525 in Aug ‘08. Total dollar volume of homes sold in Aug ‘09 of $46.9 million yielded a 7.8% increase over Aug ‘08 dollar volume of $43.5 million.
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
 A month-by-month guide to fall celebrations, festivals and performances Old Capitol Farmers MarketThrough Oct 28, 8am-12:30pm Wed and Sat, Features fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, plants, flowers and bakery items. Chef demonstrations (3rd Sats), artisan area (1st & 3rd Sats), live entertainment (3rd Sats). Visit downtownspringfield.org. Adams St.From Humble BeginningsThrough Jan 2010, Explores the Illinois Lincoln knew through the eyes of the people who lived in the prairie capital. Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring St. For more info, call 782-7386.IL Products Farmers MarketThursdays through Oct 22. Illinois State Fairgrounds Commodity Pavilion. For more info, call 782-0777.AUGUSTThomas Rees Memorial Carillon ConcertsThrough Aug 31, Free carillon concerts given Sundays at ...
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By Roy T Robinette
(the Real Estate Firm)
BY ZACH BALIVA     As Illinois foliage changes from green to red and orange to brown this season, the process will provide a perfect backdrop for cyclists to enjoy on their crisp autumn rides. The cool air and beautiful landscape work together to coax new and experienced riders out for a few months of riding before the winter sets in. Springfield and the surrounding areas offer plenty of trails, groups and events for riders of all ages. The trails Perhaps the most popular path in the city is the scenic Interurban Trail, which traces the former interurban railway corridor. The seven-mile route runs from Wabash and MacArthur across Hazel Dell Road before winding under I-72, along Woodside Road next to Lake Springfield, and into the heart of Chatham. Although longer than other town routes,...
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