"There are so many Simpsons fans in Germany," says editor of Neon magazine Dominik Schuette. So to bring life to the Springfield possibly in the cartoon, Schuette is creating a picture story for the magazine. He says, "I looked into many of the different Springfields all over America and we found some amazing similarities here in Springfield, Illinois." Similarities like our CWLP Power Plant. And heading it up, our own version of Mr. Burns, CWLP's general manager Todd Renfrow. Schuette adds, "We found someone who looks quite like Apu from the Kwik-E-Mart."

A city tourism official says they get lots of calls from people who want to know if the Simpsons are from here. And they've considered making some kind of pamphlet, drawing out the similarities between our Springfield and the Simpsons' Springfield. "We're talking about that, if there is a way to do that. So you know, nothing firmly established but we'll see what happens," says Kim Rosendahl of the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If you want to see more Springfield similarities in print, Schuette says, "I can't tell you too much. You'll have to wait for Neon magazine." The article about Springfield and the Simpsons will be in Neon magazine in July.

City spokesman Ernie Slottag says Springfield is still in the running to host the premiere for the Simpsons movie. And since the movie comes out in July, city leaders expect to find out soon if the premiere will be here.