Innovate Springfield, the University of Illinois Springfield’s downtown hub for business incubation and talent development, is launching a six-week artificial intelligence workshop series designed to help local businesses implement practical AI solutions. Nine local businesses are already signed up for the program, which begins Feb. 26. Participants include Itty Bitty Fashion Truck, Bloom Wine & […]
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Urban League has ambitious development plans
“At a time when it’s easy to take a step back, the Urban League is stepping up.” Those were the words of Springfield Urban League President and CEO Dr. Marcus Johnson during a Dec. 2 Springfield City Council meeting. Johnson was trying to convince the alderpersons to sell eight city-owned parcels of land on Springfield’s […]
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Bill to regulate homeowners’ insurance rates could reemerge this session
Illinois lawmakers are poised to make a second attempt at passing a bill that would give state regulators more authority to control the rising cost of homeowners insurance. Gov. JB Pritzker called for the legislation last summer after Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance announced it was raising premiums in Illinois an average 27.2%, citing years of losses in […]
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The future of affordable housing
One way Illinois is promoting the development of affordable housing is by giving young entrepreneurs a boost. Fifteen up-and-coming affordable housing developers recently completed the second cohort of the Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative, or Next Gen. The program, sponsored by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, is designed to […]
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Springfield is an overlooked gem for short-term rentals
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 […]
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What’s in store for 2026 homebuyers
The National Association of REALTORS’ economic and real estate summit, held virtually in December, recapped the trends of 2025 and discussed what the coming year has in store for today’s homebuyers. Presenters were NAR’s deputy chief economist Jessica Lautz, who analyzes trends for NAR members and consumers; Nadia Evangelou, NAR’s senior economist and director of […]
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Q&A with Candace Silas
Candace Silas is a Springfield native who has spent her professional career uplifting and empowering others. In September, she was named the new executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County. Prior to that, she worked at Lincoln Land Community College, serving as director of the Workforce Empowerment Initiative, the Pipeline for the Advancement […]
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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 […]
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Audrey Wilton: Ironworker, mother and leader
The trades are mostly a male-dominated field, but Audrey Wilton has found ironworking to be the right fit for her as a single mother raising a daughter. As a member of Ironworkers Local 46, and a foreman, Wilton has worked with a variety of local employers on various job sites. “What I love most is […]
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Learn to do business with the state
The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) Office of Supplier Diversity, in collaboration with the IT Procurement Office (ITPO), has announced the launch of a new webinar series titled “Mastering the State Contracting Game” as part of the Leveraging Diversity in Technology Procurement educational series. This five-part series is designed to equip current and […]
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HR essentials for business leaders
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, with presenting sponsor Brown, Hay &Stephens LLP, is offering a HR Essentials for Business Leaders Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 5. The event will take place from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at BRANDT, 2935 S. Koke Mill Road. “Many businesses don’t have a dedicated HR department, but they still face complex employment […]
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Rail consolidation a long time coming
Construction for Springfield’s Rail Improvement Project began in 2014 with construction of an underpass at Carpenter and 10th streets and the final phase will begin next month. Over the last decade-plus, new railroad bridges have been constructed at Fifth, Sixth, Ash, Laurel and Cook streets and South Grand Avenue with underpasses constructed at Madison and […]