Jeremy Bivens joins LifeMap Wealth Management
Jeremy Bivens has joined LifeMap Wealth Management as a licensed wealth adviser. Bivens began his career in financial services in 2017, starting in banking before transitioning to financial advisory services in 2020. “Jeremy embodies what LifeMap is all about,” said Kip Reiss, wealth adviser. “He brings both technical expertise and real-life relatability to the table.…
Changes at Sixth Street Mel-O-Cream store
Mel-O-Cream Donuts, 3010 S. Sixth St., held a ribbon cutting Aug. 20 celebrating its new Route 66 shield-shaped doughnut sign and an extended menu and hours. Sangamon Donuts, the owner and operator of five Mel-O-Cream stores in Springfield, applied for a grant in December 2024 to create a large Route 66 shield-shaped doughnut sign in…
National furniture retailer coming to Springfield
The former Bed Bath & Beyond property in Springfield has been vacant for more than two years, but now another national retailer is preparing to move in. The Bed Bath & Beyond location at 3251 S. Veterans Parkway closed in early 2023, one of hundreds of stores shuttered nationwide as part of the retailer’s attempt…
Pet store to open in downtown Springfield
It’s been many years since downtown Springfield had a pet store, but Robert and Sonya Andrew want to change that. The couple plans to open Happy Scalez, an exotic pet store, at the corner of Fourth and Adams streets. The space at 122 S. Fourth St. was most recently occupied by Creative Reuse Marketplace, which…
Red Robin in Springfield to close Aug. 22
The Springfield Red Robin restaurant will close Aug. 22, part of the first round of 10-15 closures nationwide expected to take place this year for the casual dining chain. In February, Red Robin announced plans to close 70 underperforming locations over the next five years. The casual dining chain known for its gourmet burgers and…
Building permits – Aug.11 to Aug. 17
ARG SPSRIL001 LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3211 S. Veterans Parkway. Contractor is Joshua McRoberts and the project is valued at $700,000. Salt & Light Rejuvenation Inc. received a commercial fence permit for 3471 Freedom Drive. Conractor is Peerless Enterprise Inc. and the project is valued at $32,984. Great Clips received a commercial…
UIS launches $42.5M Library Commons project
Excitement is growing at the University of Illinois Springfield as construction is underway on the new Library Commons building. The publicly funded project was made possible by a $42.5 million investment from the state of Illinois. The three-story, 52,000-square-foot building is being built next to the Student Union and is expected to open in 2027.…
Kristin Jamison to join Jacksonville Memorial Foundation
Kristin Jamison has been hired as the new executive director of the Jacksonville Memorial Foundation, effective Nov. 3. Jamison has served as president of the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation since 2019. She is also a co-owner of the Future Champions Sports Complex and Jamison’s Future Swings along with her husband, Adam Jamison. Jamison will…
Historic Broadgauge building to be auctioned
The historic Broadgauge building in downtown Petersburg is scheduled for auction Sept. 20-22. All furnishings and equipment are included, with bids starting at $250,000. Dan Sperry of The Real Estate Group is handling the auction and originally listed the property for sale earlier this year at an asking price of $2.9 million. The price was…
A civic center for Jacksonville
A Jacksonville organization has signed an option to purchase the historic Illinois Theater building in the city’s downtown and has embarked on an ambitious three-month, $8.8 million fundraising campaign to finance the purchase and pay for the building’s transformation into a new multipurpose civic center. “This civic center will become not only a cultural hub…
Building permits – Aug. 4 to Aug. 10
Legends Entertainment LLC received a commercial permit for 1250 W. Lincolnshire Blvd. Contractor is Legends Entertainment LLC and the project is valued at $3.25 million. Real Estate Service & Consultation LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 725 S. Christmas Seal Drive. Contractor is James Baldwin and the project is valued at $5,000. Rising Moon…
Proposed rail merger raises competition concerns
Some transportation groups are skeptical and some ag groups are seeking more information about the implications of a planned merger between rail rivals Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. DTN reported both companies’ boards of directors unanimously agreed to a deal July 29 in which Union Pacific will acquire Norfolk Southern for $85 billion, resulting in…
Kayla Houchin joins Express Employment Professionals
Kayla Houchin has joined Express Employment Professionals as the membership and communications coordinator. She most recently worked as an editor at the Herald Whig in Quincy and the Courier-Post in Hannibal, Missouri. “After more than eight years in news, I was ready to transition to a new role that utilized my skills in a different…
City Council approves third round of cannabis grants
Former Ward 2 Ald. Frank McNeil, lead plaintiff in a federal court case that resulted in Springfield switching to the aldermanic form of government in 1987 and electing its first Black members of the City Council, wants to restore the city’s first Black-owned doctor’s office. “I look at this as a community enrichment project,” McNeil,…
Sapori Pizzeria expands space, offerings
Sapori Pizzeria and Italian Market will celebrate two years in business this September, and the owners already have an expansion in the works. Longtime Springfield restaurateurs Chris Hanken and Vic Lanzotti opened the business in Montvale Junction in 2023. When the adjacent business, Design House by Staff, relocated to a larger space at the other…
Building permits – July 28 to Aug. 3
J David Jones Land Trust 1701 received a commercial remodel permit for 1701 N. J. David Jones Parkway. Contractor is Thumbtac & Home Services and the project is valued at $100,000. Elizabeth C. Allen, Cyrus Banks, Jimmie J. Cecil, Andrew Fearneyhough, Robin Gragg, Michael Dean Kelly, Terence Datme Lawson, Brian Matlock, Ann Plogger and James…
New child care center to open in Springfield
A new child care center is preparing to open in Springfield, which will be the third location for a local business owner. Janene Purdon-Menke plans to open the first phase of Little Yellow Wagon, 2160 S. Sixth St., by August, which will serve kids age three to five years old. By November, she hopes to…
Two health insurers leave Illinois market
Only two health insurance companies are slated to offer marketplace health plans in central Illinois next year, halving the amount of insurance issuers the region currently has as Aetna and Health Alliance announced they will be exiting the insurance marketplace in 2026. However, Aetna will still offer Medicare plans next year. In addition, health policy nonprofit…
All signs point to the future
Ace Sign Co.’s history reaches all the way back to hand-painting carriages in the 1860s and moves forward to its official launch under the Ace Sign Co. name in Springfield in 1940. The company’s pride in its heritage, and respect for the evolution of the sign industry overall, can be seen in the sign museum…
How AI is shaping the cybersecurity industry
Artificial intelligence is more accessible than ever before. The global AI market was valued at around $189 billion in 2023 and is currently on track to hit a mammoth $4.8 trillion by the next decade. What used to be an experiment has now become a $1 billion industry and a daily habit or necessity for…
Using generative AI as a collaborator
“There’s so much information about artificial intelligence and how it can change the way people work – from writers to photographers to designers to information officers to those in health care – this is why we chose to offer the AI for Communicators workshop,” said Christy Broccardo-Grove, communications director for Safe Electricity, and webmaster, past…
High school student teaches free technology classes for kids
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a prodigy as “someone with a very great ability that usually shows itself when that person is a young child.” Whether Chatham resident Navtej Bhatti is one might be open to interpretation, but let’s do a brief roll call of what Bhatti has accomplished to this point as a 16-year-old preparing…
Hoogland makes updates and improvements
The nonprofit Hoogland Center for the Arts hosts multiple arts and civic organizations in its 80,000-square-foot building. The century-plus-old structure was originally built as a Scottish Rite Temple in 1909, expanded in 1960, and underwent major renovations in 2003 to open its doors to its residents as a community arts center. Tens of thousands of…
Illinois hospitals fear massive cuts under Trump domestic policy law
Hospital officials in Illinois say they will have to make some difficult decisions in the next few years that could involve laying off staff, cutting back services and even closing some facilities entirely. That’s the expected result of federal funding cuts built into the recently passed domestic policy bill that President Donald Trump signed into…
Illinois cybersecurity laws
In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is no longer an option – it’s essential. Whether you’re a business handling customer data or an individual concerned about your digital footprint, knowing your rights and responsibilities is critical. Cybersecurity laws serve several crucial purposes. They establish standards for protecting sensitive information, outline consequences for cybercrimes, mandate breach disclosures…
Aunt Lous Soul Food
With all the hits downtown Springfield has taken over the last few weeks, I figured it would be good to review one of its remaining restaurants. I’m glad that I did. Aunt Lou’s is at the southwest corner of Sixth and Monroe streets. There’s a small bar area zoned off from the main dining room,…
Small shifts, big gains
How many times have you and your co-workers discussed a process in your organization and thought, “It would be better if we could change … (insert clunky or inefficient process here).” These conversations tend to happen at after-work happy hours and often involve cocktail napkins. Sound familiar? It’s easier to have great ideas when we…
Q&A with Sheila Feipel
After graduating from University of Illinois-Champaign, Sheila Feipel moved to France for two years and later worked as a French teacher. She switched to the technology industry in 2000 and has been the Springfield branch manager for Heart Technologies since 2015. Feipel is extensively involved in the Springfield community and has been a mentor with…
NAPA Auto Parts to open in Chatham
McKay NAPA Auto Parts, headquartered in Litchfield, is preparing to open a Chatham location. The former Family Video store at 210 N. Main St. is currently undergoing renovations. McKay Corporation was established in 1937 and became aligned with NAPA in 2003. Since then, McKay has expanded from 16 stores to 26 stores, stretching from Mt. Sterling…
Chamber Job Fair to be held Tuesday, Aug. 26
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s fall job fair will feature dozens of employers ready to hire qualified candidates. A list of the participating employers can be found on the event calendar for The Chamber at www.gscc.org. Whether you’re looking to advance within your current industry or start a new career, there are plenty of…
