Last week, Congressman Peter DeFazio, of Springfield, Oregon, sent a tongue-in-cheek letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.

DeFazio was petitioning for an "investigation" of how Springfield, Vermont, could have won the right to host the movie premiere of "The Simpsons," over his own hometown.

Labels: CONGRESSIONAL CUTUPS, EYE ON SPRINGFIELD

The Vermont town of Springfield has beaten 13 rivals and will host the premiere of the film about the animated family The Simpsons. The show is set in a fictional Springfield because its creator, Matt Groening, spotted that it is one of the most common place-names in the US. Vermont was chosen in an online vote after 14 towns submitted videos to argue why their town should win.

Labels: EYE ON SPRINGFIELD

The yo-yo expert arrived first, followed by two men in one-piece orange suits and Halloween masks and three boys rolling in on skateboards like Bart Simpson in the opening credits of "The Simpsons" television show.

Then came the pooch de resistance for yesterday's grand finale of the city's Simpson video - a mixed-breed yellow dog that might be the deciding factor needed to push Springfield into the winner's circle.

The city is one of more than a dozen Springfields across the country competing to become the site of the premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" based on the Fox cartoon about a fictional Springfield and due to be released on July 26.

Labels: EYE ON SPRINGFIELD

Labels: EYE ON SPRINGFIELD

Not sure why any city would want to be like "America's Worst City" (according to Time magazine) but OK

Labels: EYE ON SPRINGFIELD

"It's Every Place," said Curtis Mann, manager of the local library's Sangamon Valley Collection.

Labels: EYE ON SPRINGFIELD