For many people approaching their senior years, active-senior housing is a better alternative to maintaining a large home and yard. A new 55-plus community is currently being built on Springfield’s west side. Westgate Patio Homes offers duplexes with garages separating units. Owner and real estate broker Kyle Killebrew said his idea to build homes for […]
Carey Smith
In addition to freelance writing, Carey Smith also manages the Enos Park Neighborhood Gardens. She's a big fan of trees, prairies, board and card games, her family, and assorted nerd-out topics like soil science, archaeology and systems thinking. She loves living in the Enos Park neighborhood.
Posted inColumns
New day care built on Springfield’s west side
Many parents have struggled since the pandemic to find quality child care. The upcoming opening of Kardinal Kids, 260 S. Bradfordton Road, will help fill this need. Started by Kasi Maisenbacher and her husband, Ryan, Kardinal Kids came to fruition because of this lack of child care. The property, just west of Route 97, has […]
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Adams Street at a crossroads
In recent years the section of downtown known as the Adams Family has been a vibrant focal point of revitalization efforts. But following a devastating fire over the summer, there are now concerns about demolition plans, failed efforts to showcase spaces in need of renovations and a stalled project that could serve as a catalyst […]
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Higher interest rates and fewer deposits
Inflation is the name of the game in 2023, with higher prices for consumers and the Federal Reserve continuing to increase interest rates in hopes of countering rising costs. “In order to get inflation under wraps, the need to increase interest rates has become problematic,” said Joel Oschwald, market president at First Bankers Trust Company. […]
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Flush with cash, banks look to make more loans
By Carey Smith The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt in every aspect of our lives, and the banking world is no exception. As with every person and every business, adaptation has been the key to success in weathering the upset of normality. As a response to the uncertainty caused by onset of […]
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Post-pandemic party planning
Event planners see increased demand as restrictions ease By Carey Smith Audrey Kondelis got her start in party planning last summer, inspired after a fire at MJ’s Fish and Chicken Express closed the restaurant for an extended time. Kondelis’ birthday was approaching and as she says, “I felt bad for them, and I thought, why […]
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Downtown’s upper stories
By Carey Smith The heart of a vibrant downtown is its residents, who often work, live and play all within the same walkable community. The patterns of revitalization repeat in mid-sized cities across the nation. After decades of development on the edges of a community, which unerringly decimate downtowns and city cores, residents begin to […]
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Nonprofits adapt to COVID-19 – Demand for services increases while fundraising options are reduced
By Carey Smith For many Americans, leaning heavily on social service agencies has gotten them through the pandemic. But how have these nonprofits adapted and coped with the increased demand but often reduced fundraising opportunities? For Midwest Mission Distribution Center, which specializes in disaster relief, the transition was fairly smooth. The organization distributed three times […]
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Crowdfunding catches on
By Carey Smith Have a great idea for a startup company, but no capital? Looking to expand your product line, remodel your facility or hire additional employees but lack the revenue stream to qualify for a bank loan? Looking to invest in exciting local projects on a limited budget? Crowdfunding may be the answer for […]
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Vacant sites create opportunities for redevelopment
By Carey Smith Although some amount of property vacancy is desirable to accommodate the natural ebb and flow of business ventures in our community, a long-standing vacancy is not. Ryan McCrady, president and CEO of Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, says that part of his job is to “take a look at property to see what […]
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The Railyard, an outdoor food venue, to open in April
By Carey Smith The Railyard is a hip urban concept new to Springfield, expected to open in April 2021. Operating out of three shipping containers and a former barbershop, this mostly outdoor venue will offer a variety of foods in a unique environment featuring a lot of green space. Kirk Jefferis, a commercial real estate […]
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Best Places to Work alumni spotlight: Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.
By Carey Smith Selected as one of the best places to work in 2008 by Springfield Business Journal and United Community Bank, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. (CMT) began in 1946 with the idea that engineering could significantly improve our country’s post-war infrastructure. Friends and civil engineers Len Crawford, Pat Murphy and Ray Tilly began […]