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Movie Review by William Smith



It’s nice to be an Adam Sandler fan again.



I haven’t said that since seeing “Punch Drunk Love” at an Iowa City theater 17 years ago. I was in college, taking advantage of an indie movie scene unavailable in Burlington at the time.



Sandler’s latest drama is “Uncut Gems” (2019), which played Wednesday evening and again tonight at the Westland Mall Theater, and it’s as good as everyone says it is.



Halfway through the film, I wasn’t so confident. The first hour or so is an impressive take on Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” with a fascinating Jewish twist. If that’s all “Uncut Gems” was going to be, I was plenty satisfied if not exactly overwhelmed.



But then directors Josh and Benny Safdie subvert those expectations for the finale, transforming a dour portrait of selfish loser into an uplifting character study of a talented hustler who’s only enjoying life when he’s on the grift.



Howard Ratner (Sandler) embodies both, ruled entirely by a lifelong gambling addiction. He runs a jewelry store in New York’s Diamond District and has a reputation for gambling the money he owes instead of paying it back. When he does win, the money goes right back into another basketball bet.



“I’m exhausted,” Ratner says to his girlfriend early in the film. He also has a wife and two kids that keep him busy.



Ratner’s exhaustion comes across not only in Sandler’s much-praised performance but in the cinematography. The camera, always moving, seemingly hovers just a few feet from Sandler’s face most of the time, invoking claustrophobia while maintaining a frantic forward momentum.



There’s always someone in Ratner’s face getting ready to punch him, and it’s easy to see why. Nearly every word he utters is a lie, peppered with enough selective truth to keep everyone off tilt. Most everyone knows he’s full of it and he knows that they know.



Where “Uncut Gems” really breaks from the genre is in the inverse portrayal of Ratner. He’s impossible to get a read on in the first half of the film, slipping through conversations with distractions and falsehoods that distort his personality into a haze. I didn’t know who he was, or if he was even worth knowing.



That ambiguity provides a slow burn into the second half of the film — particularly the last half hour — where Ratner finally feels like a con artist capable of conning someone. I found myself rooting for a guy I didn’t care for just an hour earlier, elated to finally see passion return to his eyes.



It’s a hell of a payoff. Suddenly, “Uncut Gems” became my favorite film of 2019.

"Uncut Gems” is a Gem Of A Movie

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By Beacon Staff



Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., will make a campaign stop in Fort Madison on Sunday.



Buttigieg is hosting a town hall at 7 p.m. at YMCA Gym at 220 26th St. in Fort Madison. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., according to event organizers.



The first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses are Feb. 3. In a recent poll conducted by Iowa State University, 24 percent said they would vote for Buttigieg. In that same poll, 21 percent said they would vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, 18 percent said they would vote for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, 15 percent said they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden, and 4 percent said they would vote for Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Mayor Pete Headed to FM on Sunday

By Beacon Staff



Three Burlington residents died in a two-vehicle collision shortly before 9 p.m. Friday (Dec. 20) on Illinois Routes 97 and 9.



Fulton County Coroner Steve Hines confirmed Sunday night that Archie Allen, Carol Seibert and Marvin Brockett, all of Burlington, died from blunt force trauma injuries in a two-vehicle accident. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.



The trio was returning home from a night of line dancing in Canton, Ill., and the accident occurred about eight miles west of town.



The driver of the other vehicle, 20-year old Pedro Orozco of Galesburg, Ill., was driving north on Route 97 and struck the Burlington residents’ westbound vehicle in the side, according to a news release issued Monday.



Orozco and his two passengers were treated and released at a local hospital. None had life-threatening injuries.



Orozco was arrested for aggravated drunken driving, driving with a suspended license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor, according to police.



Overcoming A Previous Accident



Allen, a Vietnam veteran, had recovered from a brutal tumble down a dozen stairs a few years prior. The fall broke both his ankles, temporarily putting him in a wheelchair.



In November of 2017, shortly after the accident, Seibert watched with joy as the Cedar Rapids-based Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association built a wheelchair ramp to the entrance of Allen’s home. The ramp paid for by the motorcycle group, moved Allen and Seibert to tears.



Allen, Seibert, and Brockett were big race fans and were a weekly fixture at 34 Raceway. They were often the first ones at the track just so they could watch the drivers come in and talk to them.



Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

Burlington Residents Die In Illinois Accident

By Stacey Abell for The Burlington Beacon



Give your palate a refreshing break this winter with homemade fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with different recipes and methods, and I’m going to share what I’ve learned with you.



First off, let’s get something out of the way: you don’t need juice to detox your body. I'm not a medical professional, but all reputable sources seem to agree that for most of us our kidneys, liver, skin, and lungs are detoxifying around the clock without any need for special diets or supplements. Secondly, juices are not meal replacements. While they may be full of vitamins, they don’t contain the protein and fiber needed to repair cells, build muscles, and keep you full.



So why make your own juice? Frankly, I do it because I like experimenting with different flavor combinations and enjoying the delicious results. Juices are not a magical elixir but can be an occasional companion to an otherwise well-balanced diet.



Let’s talk about equipment. There are two types of juicers on the market: centrifugal and masticating (or “slow”) juicers. The centrifugal juicers have the advantage of being widely available at a low price point. However, they don’t extract as much juice, so you’ll have to use more produce. They are also not great at processing leafy greens, such as spinach and kale. The masticating juicers are much more expensive, but they maximize the amount of juice you’ll get out of those fresh fruits and veggies.



I unearthed my old centrifugal juicer from a seldom-used cabinet and put it into service for a couple of weeks. I was continually frustrated by the amount of waste. What’s a novice juicer on a limited budget to do?



I discovered that if you have an average kitchen food processor, you’re 90 percent of the way to producing your own freshly made juice. There’s a little more prep involved than with juice machines, but the results are worth it. You’ll need to make sure that any ingredients on the firm side, such as apples and carrots, are cut into bite-sized chunks. I also found that it helps to add a little water, around ¼ cup to start. Once you have everything processed, you should have a thick slurry with no lumps or chunks.



The extraction process involves a little bit of elbow grease, but think of it as upper body strength training. First, you’ll need to go to your local fabric store and pick up a length of curtain sheering. A half-yard should be enough to produce a couple of straining cloths. You’ll need as fine a mesh as possible, so I don’t recommend cheesecloth. Place your fabric in a medium bowl and pour your mixture in. Gather up the edges of the fabric and twist and squeeze to get out every last drop. I found that I was able to produce almost twice the amount of juice with this method when compared to the centrifugal juicer. Plus, I found that the food processor and bowl were much easier to clean than the juicer.



As for the fabric, it can be hand-washed in hot water and hung to dry. Although I haven’t tried machine laundering, I would assume that laundry detergent and fabric softener would lead to some off-putting flavors in your juice. If you feel the need to use soap, a mild detergent such as Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Soap should do nicely. A mild bleach solution could be used if additional stain removal or sanitizing is in order.



When using citrus fruits and pineapple, make sure to remove the rind. It is up to you whether to peel items such as apples or cucumbers. At any rate, all produce should be well cleaned. And if you’re working with beets, use gloves. As an added bonus, the leftover pulp from your juicing efforts can be used to add extra fiber to muffins, bread or cookies. Now, let’s get to some recipes!



Beta Carotini 1 large carrot, cut into ½ inch slices ½ medium sweet potato, cubed ½ inch slice ginger root ½ apple, any variety, sliced ¼ fresh pineapple, cut into chunks 1/3 cup water Pinch of curry powder (optional)



Green Cooler 1/3 cucumber, cut into ½ inch slices 2 stalks celery, cut into ½ inch pieces 1 apple, golden or green, sliced 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced ½ lime, peeled ¼ cup of water 5 mint leaves (optional)



Blueberry Bliss 1 cup blueberries ¼ fresh pineapple, cut into chunks 1 mandarin orange, peeled and separated into sections ¼ inch slice ginger root Splash of lemon juice ¼ cup of water



For the above recipes, place all ingredients in the food processor and let it run for about 2 minutes. Strain through mesh fabric and squeeze to remove as much juice as possible. Each recipe yields one serving.

A Pick-Me-Up for the Winter Doldrums

By Beacon Staff
Hundreds of volunteers swarmed the Burlington High School cafeteria Thursday, preparing a Thanksgiving meal that would feed nearly 2,000 people. It was the 25th annual iteration of the event, and as usual, the volunteers kept it running like the heavily oiled holiday machine it is.
As volunteers hurried to dole out this year's Thanksgiving feast, hungry people filled tables, renewing old friendships and making new ones. Fellowship was served up with every dish as people chatted and laughed between bites of food.
Photos by William Smith




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Hungry Crowds Served Up Food, Fellowship

The Mississippi River still is on the rise and will crest slightly higher than originally predicted.



The current forecast from the National Weather Service has the river topping out at 17.9 feet Wednesday (April 1), which is just a tenth-of-a-foot below major flood stage. As of Sunday night (March 29), the river was sitting at 17.55 feet.



The river is expected to immediately start dropping after the Wednesday crest and slowly will drop down to about 17.4 feet by Saturday night.



City crews erected Hesco sand barriers extending from the permanent flood wall more than a week ago, ensuring the swollen river won’t be a major problem — at least for now. The river slowly has been crawling toward the 17.9-foot crest for the past week and was originally predicted to get no higher than 17 feet.



Heavy rain would cause the river to steady and possibly rise again, but that’s not in the forecast. The weather service is calling for clear skies most of the week, and chances of rain below 50 percent Thursday and Friday.



Photo by Joy Mack



Hesco flood-barriers are shown Sunday along Burlington's riverfront.

Swollen Mississippi River Will Soon Start Receding

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A month after postponing his trip to Burlington in early this month, Andrew Yang is making good on his rain check.



Yang will speak at 8 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 4) at The Washington, 306 Washington St., in downtown Burlington. “Beers With Andrew Yang!” is scheduled to last until 9 p.m. that evening.



It will be the first time the progressive entrepreneur has visited Burlington since launching his presidential campaign in November of 2017.



Yang is best known for proposing what he calls a Freedom Dividend — a universal basic income in the form of $1,000 monthly for every American adult. He believes the policy is the correct response to the loss of jobs associated with increased automation.



Yang’s platform also calls for "Medicare for All" and "Human-Centered Capitalism." He has clarified that his version of Medicare for All allows private insurance to remain an option.

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