How does a $35,000-a-year profit from a side hustle sound? According to AirDNA, a research firm that analyzes data of short-term rental markets in the U.S., that’s the average profit margin for property owners of Airbnb, and smaller competitors such as Vrbo, in Springfield. That put the city at No. 5 on its latest list […]
Adrian Dater
Adrian Dater, a longtime former sportswriter in Denver and author of seven books, moved to Springfield in 2023 to get his first taste of life in the Midwest.
Posted inColumns
New dispensary planned on South Dirksen
If he had his druthers, Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr. would rather see something besides a proposed new recreational cannabis dispensary going into 1401 S. Dirksen Parkway, a currently abandoned property in his ward. “But I don’t like empty buildings or empty houses,” Williams said. So, albeit with some reluctance, Williams said he would […]
Posted inNews
New craft grow operation in the works
Justin Conder is only 40 years old with a sturdy build and firm handshake, but gray already specks his otherwise brown hair. It’s quite possible a frustrating, eight-year odyssey to obtain a state craft-grow cannabis license has something to do with that. “I ask myself that sometimes,” Conder says with a weary laugh when asked […]
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Demand for skilled trades workers is greater than ever
Brian Huff, founder and CEO of Midwest Technical Institute, speaks with zeal regarding the present and future economic opportunities for tradespeople in Springfield and the rest of the country. “There are 80,000 job openings in the country for electricians and only 7,000 to 8,000 are being trained right now. [The investment manager] BlackRock says there […]
Posted inNews
Roundabout slated for West White Oaks
If you’ve ever tried to make a left-hand turn out of the parking lot of the West White Oaks shopping center that includes Harvest Market, then onto Wabash Avenue, you know the pulse-pounding, head-swiveling moments of trepidation as the turn begins. With often heavy traffic moving in both directions on West White Oaks Avenue and […]
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Capital Airport could be cutting edge
Mark Hanna knew the first question at the Citizens Club of Springfield’s Dec. 19 public policy forum regarding the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport would be something along the lines of, “Any new commercial airline routes coming soon?” Not much to report, Hanna said, although there have been some preliminary talks about possible Allegiant Airlines routes […]
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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 […]
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Route 66
The 100th birthday of Route 66 is Nov. 11, 2026, and the Mother Road has obviously seen better days. Once chock-full of busy, neon-lit motels, gas stations and greasy spoons, good portions of the original 2,448-mile Chicago to Santa Monica, California, route are now tumbleweed ghost towns. But if it’s true that, at some point, […]
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New networking groups
The Springfield area has a wide variety of networking groups, some based on specific industries and others open to anyone. Networking groups are about connections between individuals and businesses for the exchanging of ideas, information and resources. They are a platform for career development and business growth. Jeff Dillman, general manager of Masco Packaging & […]
Posted inColumns
Field of dreams
Things are progressing quite nicely with Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, according to all the principals involved. After years of uncertainty over its viability, a 180,000-square-foot dome is slated to be inflated in the latter part of June, with sports activities expected to start in October. The grand opening of the park’s primary money-making […]