Blogs & Columns

Pantagraph blogs are written by Pantagraph columnists and staff members. You can leave your comments at the end of individual blog entires by typing in the feedback box at the bottom of the page. To read the combined blog/column page, which has the latest offerings from all our bloggers and columnists in a single listing, click here. Otherwise, pick from the list below.
» Indicates new entry in the last 24 hours.

» Bill Flick
Go here for all things Flick. Read Flick's blog, News is Stranger than Fiction, and Flick's columns.		 Blogging with the 'Birds
Pantagraph beat writers offer insights into Illinois State University athletics.		 Next of Kindred
Commentary on sports and life by The Pantagraph's Assistant Sports Editor, Randy Kindred.
Crowding the Plate
Pantagraph sportswriter Randy Reinhardt offers observations on major league, minor league, college, high school and fantasy baseball.		 Thunder Rumbles
Pantagraph beat writers offer insights into the Bloomington PrairieThunder hockey team.		 » Scott Richardson
Pantagraph Outdoor Editor Scott Richardson talks about environmental issues and outdoor sports, including hunting and fishing.
Susan Hazlett
Susan Hazlett is a freelance columnist for The Pantagraph. She writes weekly about the triumphs and tribulations of everyday life in Central Illinois.		 Hit & Run
Pantagraph sports editor Mike Egenes takes a shot at sports … and beyond.		 Deacon's Short Hops
Pantagraph.com sports writer Joe Deacon offers his observations on the world of sports and sports programming.
Mark Tupper
Mark Tupper of the Decatur Herald & Review, a sister newspaper of The Pantagraph, covers University of Illinois Athletics.		 Dan Craft
Dan Craft is The Pantagraph's entertainment editor, and writes about film, actors and entertainment.		 » Kurt Erickson
Kurt Erickson covers politics from Lee Enterprises' Statehouse bureau in Springfield.
Ask a Vet
Dr. Tim Anderson, a veterinarian at Hawthorne Park Animal Care Center in Bloomington, answers questions and writes about pet-related issues.		 Green Thumb Gardening
Linda Smith is a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener in McLean County. She shares her gardening knowledge weekly in the Pantagraph and online.		 » Hearts at Home
Hearts at Home is a nonprofit organization designed to encourage, educate and equip moms. (www.hearts-at-home.org)
Culture Clash
Jamahl Epsicokhan takes on popular culture with observations, commentary and rants about the things that really matter (or not).
 
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LA Church Putting Pets in Pews
LA Church Putting Pets in Pews
A Presbyterian church in Los Angeles is trying to boost its connection with the community by offering a 30-minute Sunday service for pet-lovers. (Nov. 4)
Raw Video: First Images Inside Fort Hood
Raw Video: First Images Inside Fort Hood
The Department of Defense releases video from inside Fort Hood in Texas as authorities move in on shooters there. The Army says 12 people were killed and more than 30 wounded at the base. (Nov. 5)
Army: 7 Dead, 20 Wounded in Fort Hood Shootings
Army: 7 Dead, 20 Wounded in Fort Hood Shootings
The Army has confirmed 7 dead, 20 wounded in shootings at Fort Hood, Texas. Local media say one gunman has been captured, and a second is still on loose. There are reports of a possible third gunman. (Nov. 5)
Raw Video: Bears Lose Their Fur in Leipzig Zoo
Raw Video: Bears Lose Their Fur in Leipzig Zoo
Three female spectacled bears in a zoo in the Eastern German city of Leipzig have suddenly lost nearly all their fur. (Nov. 05)
Coroner: at Least 11 Victims at Cleveland Home
Coroner: at Least 11 Victims at Cleveland Home
Authorities say they have confirmed a total of at least 11 victims whose remains were found in the Cleveland home of a registered sex offender. (Nov. 4)
Babysitter Requested Help for Missing Infant
Babysitter Requested Help for Missing Infant
The baby sitter of a missing infant sent a letter to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist months before she disappeared asking him to save the child from her drug-abusing parents. Shannon was last seen by her parents at their home early Saturday morning. (Nov. 4)
Video: Preview tour of new Marriott
Video: Preview tour of new Marriott
The Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center will be open for business on Friday October 30, 2009. Enjoy a preview tour of the facility.
Share a Grave With a Stranger?
Share a Grave With a Stranger?
A London cemetery is urging strangers to share double-decker graves, to ease a space crisis. But the practice may run up against a British cultural aversion. (29 October 2009)
Pelosi Presents Health Care Bill
Pelosi Presents Health Care Bill
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says new health care legislation will make affordable, quality health care available to nearly all Americans and represents a historic step. (Oct. 29)
Obama Hails New GDP, Talks Health Care Reform
Obama Hails New GDP, Talks Health Care Reform
President Barack Obama is hailing new figures showing the economy grew at a 3.5 percent rate in the third quarter. In remarks to a small business group, Obama says he believes the new figures show that the recession is easing. (Oct. 29)