By Patrick Yeagle When Bob Gordon moved to Springfield in 1979, he realized there was something missing on Lake Springfield: a public marina. Gordon would later open Lake Springfield Marina in 1991, and now he’s turning over the helm to the next generation. Scott Tucker and Joe Prola have purchased the business after working as […]
Patrick Yeagle
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Stevenson to leave WTAX
By Patrick Yeagle Will Stevenson is leaving his role as news director and brand manager for Springfield radio station WTAX this month. A native of Kewanee, Stevenson says he is going “home” to WGIL in Galesburg. Stevenson started at WTAX, which is part of Capitol Radio Group, as a reporter in March 2015 and was […]
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Remodels up, new construction down in January
By Patrick Yeagle More people remodeled buildings in Springfield at the start of this year compared with last January, according to data from the City of Springfield. While new construction of both residential and commercial buildings fall slightly this January over the same time last year, the decline was far outpaced by the increase in […]
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Buffalo Wings & Rings expanding to Springfield
By Patrick Yeagle A sports restaurant franchise based in Cincinnati is expanding to Springfield. Buffalo Wings & Rings, which has restaurants in 13 states, expects to open its first Springfield location within two years. Philip Schram, part owner and chief development officer of Buffalo Wings & Rings, describes the restaurant as “a better experience.” He […]
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White Oaks Mall loses hhgregg to closure
By Patrick Yeagle Electronics retailer hhgregg announced on Feb. 2 the closure of 88 stores across the country, including the store at White Oaks Mall in Springfield. Accompanied by the closure of three distribution facilities, the move is part of hhgregg’s “turnaround efforts” as it struggles with profitability. “We are strategically exiting markets and stores […]
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Free Press Coffee House opens on Toronto Road, plans MacArthur spot
By Patrick Yeagle It all started with a hotel. Jonas and Jane Ann Petty were living in Pittsfield in 2008 when they opened the William Watson Hotel, named after the town’s first settler who established the Mansion House hotel in the same building in 1838. That venture spawned the Free Press Coffee House, then another […]
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A passion for food and laughter – Remembering Brown Hitt
By Patrick Yeagle He served three presidents, catered three gubernatorial inaugurations and met entertainers ranging from Ted Nugent to the Stone Temple Pilots. He’s credited with serving more than one million meals in his lifetime, but more than any of that, Brown Hitt was most proud of his family. “He loved being a dad, a […]
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The trouble with trash
By Patrick Yeagle In some Springfield neighborhoods, trash is a common sight. Old couches, broken appliances and shredded bags of household refuse sometimes litter alleyways and vacant lots, attracting vermin and reducing property values. Last year, the City of Springfield reached a deal with waste haulers to address the problem. While neighborhood advocates say the […]
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Senate races to pass budget “grand bargain”
By Patrick Yeagle Illinois could be drawing closer to a state budget, with the Illinois Senate passing several pieces of legislation collectively dubbed the “grand bargain.” Lawmakers in the Senate voted yesterday to pass parts of the legislative package, including budget appropriations, changes to state procurement practices, a gaming expansion bill and pension changes for […]
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New jobs at two Springfield companies if enterprise zone expands
By Patrick Yeagle At Solomon Colors Inc. on Springfield’s far north side, iron oxide powder is turned into a variety of vibrant dyes for concrete and other masonry products. Halfway across the city, Levi, Ray & Shoup Inc. designs and manages information technology systems. The two companies exist in completely different indstries, but they have […]
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Hope for a bright future
By Patrick Yeagle Inside a nondescript brick building in Springfield’s South Town business district, a wall covered with clear acrylic instead of drywall illustrates various tools and electrical wiring standards. Between the wooden studs, next to lineman pliers and a conduit bender, are inspirational messages about leadership and discipline. Calvin Pitts built the wall as […]
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Becker to leave Sangamo Club
By Patrick Yeagle Emily Becker, general manager at the Sangamo Club in Springfield, is stepping down in June. Becker is relocating to Louisiana, and she says she hopes to leave the club well-positioned for the future. “I absolutely loved our membership,” Becker said, describing what she liked most about the Sangamo Club. “I loved being […]