I’ll never forget one respected colleague’s lament a few years after he retired from University of Illinois Springfield. “I think I stayed two years too long,” he commented. He had contributed so much as a faculty member and administrator and enlightened many of us, particularly on issues of diversity. But as he watched new faculty […]
Ed Wojcicki
Ed Wojcicki has been freelancing since 1979 while working as a journalist, higher education administrator and association executive director. He has degrees in journalism and political science and is the author of three books. Born and raised in St. Louis, he has lived in Springfield, Illinois, since 1985 and has two grown children and four grandchildren.
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State launches 10-year plan to improve seniors’ lives
The state of Illinois is in the early months of implementing an ambitious 10-year plan in which multiple state agencies, local governments and the private sector will collaborate to make life better for older adults and their caregivers. If all goes as planned, caregivers will have more resources, older adults will enjoy more affordable and […]
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New loan limits challenge medical school students
Local medical school and nursing school students are facing new challenges to finance their education due to changes in federal student loan limits. New borrowing limits, which went into effective July 1, cap a medical school student’s federal loan at $50,000 per year, with an aggregate cap of $200,000 and a lifetime cap of $257,000 […]
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Businesses should consider cyber insurance
Cybersecurity threats are one of the fastest-growing areas of concerns for businesses across almost every industry and in companies of almost every size, according to Nicholas Koch of Troxell, a Springfield-based insurance company.“You only hear about the large companies, but the regular person would be shocked at how often cyber incidents are happening in every […]
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ISP foundation acquires former bank building
A new public space in downtown Springfield for people to learn about history will be located in a former bank building. It will tell stories of the 74 Illinois State Police officers who have died in the line of duty and display unique ISP artifacts such as uniforms, old equipment and a fleet of eight […]
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Regulations change for disadvantaged businesses
Federal regulations changed in October for all businesses seeking contracts as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Those businesses now need to provide additional documentation – including personal financial information – and must be recertified due to an “interim rule” from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The changes directly affect […]
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Boomers are aging out. So what?
By 2029, all baby boomers will be 65 or older. They are the 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 in the baby boom that occurred after World War II. Sometimes maligned as self-absorbed and labeled the “me generation,” this aging cohort has shaped and overwhelmed every institution for the past six decades. They […]
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Not ready for last call
Louie Manci doesn’t have much time for hobbies because he works seven days a week – at the age of 88. He owns his own bar and is the primary bartender, opening at noon every day and leaving when the last customer leaves. “I follow them out,” he says. Often that’s between 8 and 10:30 […]
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Gail Lorenzini Aug. 7, 1952-July 4, 2024
Gail Lorenzini was an educator, an entrepreneur and a business owner who immersed herself into the community and took advantage of her varied points of contact to support area causes. Gail did nearly all of this in partnership with her husband, John, before she died unexpectedly July 4 at the age of 71. Gail and […]
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Maid-Rite: 100 years without many changes
What’s happening at the Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop is not complicated, but it is enduring. Preparing to celebrate 100 years in business, longtime owner Sam Quaisi downplays his product’s specialness while providing a distinctive spin on why it is indeed special. “There is nothing special about the recipe because it’s the same. It’s the same thing, […]
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StandardAero flies under radar in local economy
Perhaps StandardAero flies under the radar in the local Springfield economy, pardon the pun, because not many locals own their jets. But StandardAero and its predecessors, Garrett Aviation and Landmark Aviation, have been a mainstay at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport for decades, servicing planes and jets. “It’s actually woven into the fabric of Springfield because […]
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Pioneers of the UIS Prairie
About 100 people who helped to transform University of Illinois Springfield into a four-year university held their first reunion Feb. 24, at a breakfast on the campus. That visible display of support for UIS was a testimony to the impact felt by those first freshmen classes starting in the fall 2001, with many of them […]